SG: I met with President [Omar] Al-Bashir for about one and half hour, one hours in a formal meeting, and a half hour in a tête-à-tête, and we discussed all these political and security developments in the situation in Sudan, and in particular in Darfur.
We agreed to accelerate the joint UN-AU [African Union] efforts for the political process and the preparation for a peacekeeping mission based on the Abuja and the Addis Ababa agreements.
He reiterated his strong commitment to implement these agreements. I reiterated the UN's strong commitment to the political process in Sudan, emphasizing the centrality of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, known as CPA, and the importance of its timely and effective implementation.
I expressed my deep concern over the continued violence and deteriorating human rights situation in Darfur, which afflicts millions of people. I urged President Bashir, as I urged all the parties, to cease hostilities as an essential foundation for a successful peace process and humanitarian access. President Bashir agreed to facilitate such access for humanitarian assistance and expressed willingness to cooperate with the international community toward that end. I stressed the urgency of reenergizing the political process in Darfur. In that context I informed President Bashir that I discussed and agreed with AU Chairman [Alpha Oumar] Konare to dispatch once again my Special Envoy Jan Eliasson, and AU Envoy Salim A. Salim in February to support a peacemaking effort. President Bashir welcomed this mission. I recalled my letter of 24 January, in which I presented the heavy support package agreed with the African Union. I look forward to a prompt and positive answer to this joint proposal. I think this will pave the way for the early deployment of a hybrid mission.
This is all I can tell you, at this time, as a result of my meeting with President Bashir. Basically, we had a very useful and constructive discussion on this and we agreed to continue our consultation, primarily through [Special Envoy] Ambassador Jan Eliasson. And he also invited me to visit Sudan, and I answered in a positive way. I will try to visit Sudan at a mutually convenient time.
Q: Is this the breakthrough you were hoping for yesterday (inaudible)?
SG: He reaffirmed his commitment in an unambiguous manner. I am not quite sure how to characterize the situation at this time. But the important thing is, I had a very good meeting on the basis of mutual trust and I emphasized that in addressing and resolving this issue it would be very important for him as President of Sudan and I as Secretary-General of the United Nations to base our consultation on mutual trust and confidence. I also said that Special Envoy Eliasson enjoys full trust and confidence from me and he also enjoys that of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Q: Sir, just quoting you here, yesterday you said you did not want any more commitment, you wanted action. Do you see what transpired from this meeting here today with President Bashir as really action or just more commitment? And could you be more precise about what you mean by accelerating the deployment?
SG: The agreement, which had been agreed between the Chairman of the African Union, President Bashir and myself, is to continue through Special Envoy Eliasson and AU Envoy Salim A. Salim's consultations. We are now accelerating this process. This can be understood as the beginning of action.
Q: What specifically are you going to do in this action?
SG: I hope we will be able to consult in a more in-depth and detailed manner. As I told you I sent my letter on 24 January, elaborating on all the details and conditions about this AU/UN mission. As soon as we receive a positive answer from the Sudanese government, I think we will be able to expedite this process more in an action-oriented way.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, is there a timetable for those issues to be dealt [with?]. You talked about the logistical support, the size of the force, when will this action begin?
SG: I told you, my special envoy will be visiting Sudan in early February. Today is 29 January, so you will see how we are really trying our best to expedite this process.
Q: Will this mark the beginning of the discussion about the size of the force, the logistical support?
SG: I have laid it all out in my letter, even though I am not able to disclose it.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, do you have confidence that at the end of the day there will be a hybrid force, let's say by June?
SG: This is the agreement made by the three parties. Deploying the hybrid operation is sort of the culmination of this agreement.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, do you expect to have a joint force deployed this year?
SG: We will try to do it as soon as possible.
Q: By when do you see that happen?
SG: I am not in a position to give you a timeframe at this time. We will see the development of our consultations, but it is encouraging that this morning [AU] Chairman Konare, President Bashir and myself have agreed to continue our political process. And I have sent my detailed proposal, to which I hope I will be able to receive a positive answer as soon as possible.
Thank you very much.