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Tony Blair moved to ratchet up the pressure on Sudan today by appealing to EU leaders to demand a halt to the violence in Darfur. In a letter to his counterparts in all of the 24 other member states, the British prime minister said the EU should play a “central role” in peace efforts.
He added that the Sudanese government should prepare to face isolation if it failed to respond to diplomatic pressure to end the “slaughter”.
The latest move comes on today’s International Day for Darfur, as dozens of countries prepare to highlight the conflict.
Mr Blair yesterday condemned the Sudanese government for rejecting a UN peacekeeping force for the troubled region and accused it of breaking ceasefire arrangements.
Today he appealed for further pressure on both the Sudanese government and rebel groups who have failed to sign up to a peace agreement.
In his letter, which has also been sent to European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, Mr Blair insisted that the international community could not turn its back on the “tragic situation”.
More than 200,000 people have been killed and more than two million have fled their homes since 2003 when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Arab-led Khartoum government.
The Darfur Peace Agreement signed by the government and one of the major rebel groups in May has failed to end fighting between rival rebel factions.
“The EU should play a central role in mobilising world opinion on this issue,” he wrote.
“We should strongly call upon the government of Sudan and non-signatories alike to stop immediately the violence in northern Darfur.
“Both sides must abide by the commitments they made under previous ceasefire agreements.”
He said the peace agreement provided a framework in which to work for “a peaceful solution”.
“Therefore, we should also call on the rebel groups who have so far failed to sign up, to do so; and on the government of Sudan and other parties to implement the agreement.”
Mr Blair also called on the EU to back his demand for a UN peacekeeping force to be allowed to take over from the African Union Mission in Sudan, to which he paid tribute for “improving the lives of the people of Darfur”.
He went on: “We should urge the government of Sudan to rise to the challenge above, make the right decisions to protect the people of Darfur, and put Sudan back in its rightful place at the heart of the family of nations.
“If it responds we should commit to provide substantial support for reconstruction and peace through debt relief and aid.
“But this window should not remain open forever. And if it fails to move we should agree further measures to isolate and pressure it.
“We should work to create the broadest possible coalition to speak with one united voice on this issue.”
Senior members of the UK Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths will gather outside Downing Street today to call for an end to the suffering.
Prayers written by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra were read out.
A message has also been sent from the Catholic Bishop of El Obeid, whose diocese includes Darfur.
Mr Barroso announced yesterday that he would visit Sudan soon in an attempt to “step up our political engagement”.
Last night, the Sudanese president Omar al Bashir rejected the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops during a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
“Justice is and remains our objective but through our diplomatic, political and other means ... that’s why we reject this position,” Mr al Bashir told a press conference in Havana, Cuba.
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