The European Union and the Cairo-based Arab League Wednesday made a joint appeal for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan following a telephone conversation between EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmad Aboul-Gheit.
EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, Nabila Massrali, told a news conference in Brussels today that “they agreed to strengthen the collective effort to call for an immediate ceasefire.” ? Borell Wednesday continued his contacts with international partners in an effort to contribute to the resolution of the conflict in Sudan, she said.
“For us the message is extremely clear. Cessation of hostilities, de-escalation of the current situation, respect for international humanitarian law and protection of civilians and diplomatic community,” said the spokesperson and repeated EU calls for “external actors to refrain from interfering in Sudan.” ? ? EU foreign ministers during their formal meeting in Luxembourg on Monday will discuss the Sudan situation, she said.
The EU has strongly condemned the eruption of the violence between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that has been taking place since last Saturday in Kharotum and also in the rest of the country, she noted.
“We strongly deplore the loss lives of the Sudanese themselves and a lot of them are injured,” she said.
Further, Massrali expressed alarm over the security situation of the EU staff, noting that the head of the EU delegation in Khartoum has been assaulted and the head of the EU humanitarian aid in Sudan has also been injured.
“It is a gross violation of the Vienna convention and the EU is continuing to monitor the situation,”? she stressed but added that the EU delegation has not been evacuated from khartoum.
?The deputy spokesperson for the European Commission Dana Spinant told the same press conference that they will not disclose further information on the whereabouts of the EU staff due to security reasons.
According to media reports, the head of the EU humanitarian mission in Sudan, Wim Fransen, has been injured by gunfire in Khartoum.? Fransen, a Belgian national, went missing on Sunday evening as fighting intensified in the Sudanese capital.
On Monday, EU Ambassador Aidan O’Hara, a diplomat from Ireland, was attacked at his residence by armed men who threatened him at gunpoint and stole money, said the reports.
Source: Kuwait News Agency
