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Russia's Lavrov highlights sovereignty in Sudan settlement

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Russia's foreign minister said Thursday that settlement efforts in Sudan must be based on respect for the African state's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and popular will.

MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister said Thursday that settlement efforts in Sudan must be based on respect for the African state's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and popular will.

The UN passed a resolution in late August to deploy troops in the western region of Darfur and end fighting between the local African population and Arab Janjaweed militia, which broke out in 2003, claiming the lives of 50,000 to 450,000 people. Sudan said following the adoption of the resolution it was opposed to the deployment of peacekeepers.

Meeting with Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, who delivered his president's message to the Russian leader, Sergei Lavrov said: "All solutions, we believe, must be based on the principle of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sudan, and the will of the Sudanese people."

The UN's decision to take over the African Union's 7,000-strong contingent with a larger force to end violence in Darfur sparked mass protests on the North African country. Khartoum supports reinforcing the African peacekeeping contingent, and has suggested sending more than 10,000 Sudanese soldiers to Darfur.

Russia and China, both veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council, abstained from the vote on the resolution because details of the peacekeeping operation had not been agreed with Sudan.

Russia sent in 120 servicemen, four military transport helicopters, and other equipment to the country in the spring to aid the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), established in March 2005 to ensure the implementation of the peace accord signed the same year after a 21-year civil war between the Muslim-dominated north and Christians and animists in the south.

The Russian troops provide only helicopter support for rapid deployment forces, airlifting troops, evacuating the wounded, conducting aerial surveys and search operations, and delivering UN personnel and equipment to locations across Sudan.

Lavrov said Moscow welcomes the Sudanese government's efforts, which have brought major breakthroughs in recent years, and pledged Russia's further assistance to the United Nations, the African Union, and the League of Arab States, working to bring stability in Sudan.

"The fate of the entire region depends on how wise and farsighted we can be," Lavrov said.

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