Darfur: Another reason not to trust "Canada's National Newspaper"

The Globe and Mail headline: UN decides to send peacekeepers to Darfur

No it didn't. The first paragraph:

The Security Council voted unanimously yesterday to begin the process of establishing a UN peacekeeping force to end the slaughter of civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan.

From the resolution itself:

“The Security Council,
...
“3. Endorses the decision of the African Union Peace and Security Council in its communiqué of 15 May 2006 that, in view of the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement, concrete steps should be taken to effect the transition from AMIS to a United Nations operation, calls upon the parties to the Darfur Peace Agreement to facilitate and work with the African Union, the United Nations, regional and international organizations and Member States to accelerate transition to a United Nations operation, and, to this end, reiterating the requests of the Secretary-General and the Security Council, calls for the deployment of a joint African Union and United Nations technical assessment mission within one week of the adoption of this resolution;
...

Note:

concrete steps should be taken to effect the transition from AMIS to a United Nations operation

accelerate transition to a United Nations operation

Contrary to the headline, no resolution has been passed that actually authorizes the sending of a force. This resolution is just about preliminary steps--as the first para states correctly.

And some of the problems still to be faced in setting up a force:

Chinese and Russian diplomats yesterday withdrew their objections to the Security Council resolution in deference to the African Union, but insisted Sudan must agree to any eventual UN deployment.

To date, the Sudanese government has rejected demands for a UN peacekeeping force...

In statements after the vote, China and Russia said they voted for the measure despite misgivings about its being adopted under Chapter 7. Mr. Bolton [US Permanent Representative to the UN] said that raises hopes that there will be a resolution authorizing a peacekeeping force and that it will wield Chapter 7 clout...

The Washington Post headline is as bad: U.N. Council Approves Mission to Darfur

My hopes have not been raised much, but the Globe headline will no doubt provide ammunition for the Liberals and NDP to demand that Canada "do something" in Darfur during the Commons debate on Afstan today.

Mark C.

Posted by markc at May 17, 2006 10:33 AM