Sarkozy's coming-out party on Darfur

In a show of his new foreign policy objectives, the French president called a meeting Monday in an attempt to help bolster the international military presence in Darfur.

By Robert Marquand | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the June 26, 2007 edition

Page 1 of 2

Paris - The international community has bandied plans and initiatives to resolve the crisis in Darfur since it began four years ago with few results. But a meeting of senior officials from 18 influential nations, convened on Monday by new French President Nicolas Sarkozy was the first to involve France, the US, and China, who sent its special envoy for Sudan, Liu Giujin. [Editor's note: The original version misspelled the first name of the French president.]

The stated aim of the talks is to "mobilize" and beefup the African Union (AU) and the United Nations peacekeeping forces, and support talks between Sudan and Chad, whose border with Darfur has been increasingly tense as Darfurian refugees stream west. Mr. Sarkozy said France would be willing to contribute roughly €10 million ($13.46 million) to the AU, whose force of 7,000 troops has been limited by a lack of funding. The European Union pledged an extra €31 million in humanitarian funds for "the coming months."

The French initiative flows directly from Sarkozy's policies and persona: The French leader wants his nation back on the diplomatic map, and he appears to have the tools, the desire, and the political moment to do so, experts say.

"It all fits together ... Sarkozy and Kouchner have seized the moment," says Francois Heisbourg, special advisor to the Foundation for Strategic Studies in Paris, referring to French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. "Six months ago this wouldn't have worked. The Chinese would have refused. But now that Stephen Spielberg has captured China's attention, and I mean this, Beijing can see [that] their role in Darfur is harming their reputation, and they have wised up."

"Whether [the conference] will mean anything, I don't know," adds Mr. Heisbourg.

Some experts expressed skepticism as to the efficacy of an international conference that does not include Sudan or the AU.

Others, such as John Prendergast, who recently started a new action group called ENOUGH to combat genocide, feel otherwise. In a June 18 strategy paper, Mr. Prendergast and ENOUGH policy adviser Colin Thomas-Jensen said the time is right for what they call "an axis of peace for Darfur" among China, France, and the US.

Page 1 | 2 | Next Page