The Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, has welcomed the recent agreement between the African Union, United Nations and Government of Sudan on a Joint AU-UN peacekeeping mission for Darfur. The Foreign Secretary said:
'I am pleased that the Government of Sudan has agreed to this peacekeeping force without conditions. This is a significant achievement for the AU and UN and an important step towards restoring stability, the protection of civilians and ensuring full humanitarian access in Darfur. I call upon all parties to this agreement to work towards the deployment of this force as quickly as possible.
'The benefit of this force is that it should be funded by the UN and therefore it will be managed according to UN standards and principles. Its mandate should deliver security on the ground, with the troops and expertise required to do this effectively. These should come predominantly from - but not restricted to - African countries.
'We will monitor its implementation closely. We remain prepared to take action against those who impede deployment of this force and work against the interests of peace in Darfur.'