Felles uttalelse om valg i Sudan

11.-13. april holdes det valg i Sudan. I en felles uttalelse ber utenriksminister Jonas Gahr Støre, Storbritannias utenriksminister David Miliband og USAs utenriksminister Hillary Clinton alle parter i Sudan om å bidra til at valget gjennomføres på en fredelig og troverdig måte.

De tre utenriksministrene er bekymret over rapporter om restriksjoner på politisk aktiviteter, og ber om at alle parter gjør det de kan for å løse utestående problemer før valget.

Valgene er en milepæl i implementeringen av fredsavtalen signert i januar 2005. Denne avtalen markerte slutten på den lengste borgerkrigen i Afrikas historie. Fredsprosessen er nå inne i en krevende fase, mindre enn ett år før folkeavstemningen om selvbestemmelse for Sør-Sudan skal finne sted.

- Det er viktig at folkeavstemningen om selvbestemmelse for Sør-Sudan finner sted i henhold til timeplanen i fredsavtalen, sier de tre utenriksministrene.

Gjennom den såkalte ”troikaen” samarbeider Norge tett med Storbritannia og USA for å bidra til å holde fredsprosessen i Sudan på skinner.

 

Joint Statement on the Upcoming Sudan National Elections

Following is the text of a joint statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Støre, and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Miliband on the upcoming national elections in Sudan.

Begin Text:

National elections in Sudan in April will represent a major milestone in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Sudan's twenty-two year civil war, and are an important opportunity for the people of Sudan to participate in the political process. 

We urge all parties in Sudan to work urgently to ensure that elections can proceed peacefully and credibly in April.  We are deeply concerned by reports of continued administrative and logistical challenges, as well as restrictions on political freedoms.

We call on the Government of Sudan, the National Elections Commission, and all political parties to engage in further dialogue to resolve practical obstacles, procedural impediments, and address allegations of intimidation, harassment, and safety concerns, and other legitimate concerns raised by various political parties.  We continue to urge the parties to improve conditions on the ground in Darfur and create a secure environment conducive to Darfuri participation. 

Irrespective of the outcome of elections, it is essential that work continues and is accelerated to meet remaining CPA deadlines. Progress is needed urgently to complete border demarcation, to establish the commissions that will supervise the referenda for the South and Abyei, to conduct popular consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, and to negotiate sustainable post-CPA arrangements in areas such as wealth-sharing, citizenship and assets, and liabilities. 

We reiterate our commitment to ensure that the referenda must happen on schedule and that their outcomes need to be respected. It is time to redouble efforts to achieve these ends.  We urge all parties in Sudan and all regional and international partners to work together to achieve the peaceful future that the people of Sudan deserve.