EU Members Express 'Disappointment' at UN Resolution on Darfur

The United Nations has backed an African-sponsored call for an end to violence in Darfur on Tuesday. The announcement, however, has lef som European Union diplomats angered angered its refusal to criticise Khartoum.

|PIC1|The European members of the Human Rights Council, which has 47 members, had urged for amendments to be made to highlight the special responsibility of the Sudan government to investigate rights violations and bring those involved to justice. But the Council rejected the EU-led move by a slim 22 to 20 vote (with 4 abstentions).

Following that disappointment for the EU-members, an African proposal was then approved by a 25 to 11 vote (10 abstentions).

Recent reports estimate that up to 200,000 have been killed in the western Sudan region since 2003 due to the horrific conflict, however, Khartoum has said the figure put forward by aid agencies is highly exaggerated, and indicates that the situation has been improving.

The agreed African proposal did not include proposed additional wording which called on UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour to draw up a new report on the situation there.

During the debate, EU-members also highlighted the fact that child soldiers are being used in the region.

"The human rights situation in Darfur continues to be of grave concern and according to reliable reports continues to show signs of deteriorating," said Finland's ambassador Vesa Himanen, speaking for the EU.

However, divisions were evident when his remarks were dismissed by Algerian ambassador Idriss Jazairy, chairing the African group, who firmly backed Sudan's assertion that things were improving in the region.

"We do not share the pessimism that has just been expressed," said Jazairy.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir accused on Tuesday aid agencies, which have 14,000 staff in Darfur, of giving false information on the crisis to extend their works and employment in the region.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Finland's ambassador expressed "disappointment" at the Darfur resolution, and EU diplomats said in private that the European members were "very angry", reports Reuters.