12 October 2008 -- United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy held a series of meetings with Government of Sudan officials in Khartoum today including Foreign Minister Deng Alor, Presidential Assistant Dr. Nafi Ali Nafi, National Security Director-General Salah Abdallah, and MFA Undersecretary Dr. Mutrif Siddiq.

After meeting with Dr. Nafi, Mr. Le Roy told journalists that the discussion had focused on the UN role in the Sudan through the presence of UNMIS and UNAMID. On UNMIS, they reviewed implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement including the 2009 elections. On UNAMID, they reviewed deployment of the AU/UN hybrid operation in Darfur.

"Both the Government of Sudan and the United Nations are committed to accelerate the deployment of UNAMID", Under-Secretary-General Le Roy said. He welcomed last week's tripartite meeting in Khartoum between Government, UN and the AU, which he said would speed up deployment of the forced in the coming weeks and months.

Asked about the Darfur security situation, Mr. Le Roy noted that the situation had improved recently but that there were still serious concerns about banditry and potential clashes.

The political process offered the only means to achieve peace, he stressed, noting that AU/UN Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole is working hard to engage the main actors in order to reach a framework agreement. The Under-Secretary-General also welcomed the Qatari initiative in support of the Chief Mediator's work.

Under-Secretary-General Le Roy was accompanied to his meetings in Khartoum by AU/UN Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada, and the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Sudan, Ashraf Qazi.