U.N. pressed to speed up Darfur actions

UNITED NATIONS
— Britain, France and the United States are pressing for faster progress to beef up the beleaguered African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur and promote a political settlement of the four-year conflict, Britain's U.N. ambassador said Friday.
Ambassadors from the three countries asked to see Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon late Friday to discuss Sudan amid concern about progress, Emyr Jones Parry said.
The three countries are concerned that the calendar for action keeps moving forward rather than having key decisions take place now, he said.

Jones Parry said "there are lots of problems" about getting 3,000 U.N. troops, police and civilian personnel along with six attack helicopters and other equipment into Darfur to strengthen the 7,000-strong AU force, "and some of those problems relate to decisions yet to be taken in Sudan." Read more >>>>