On
Sudan, After
Mbeki and Jau
Briefings It's
Call for
"Balance,"
Will US Do It?
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
February 29 --
The impact of
the Thabo
Mbeki panel's
briefing of
the Security
Council on
February 27
was felt on
February
29 as the
Council heard
complaints
from Sudan
that
assistance for
attacks, on
Jau and
elsewhere,
came from
South Sudan.
While
by
all accounts
UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous had no
substantive
information
about Jau,
only second
hand reports,
afterward
several
Permanent
Representatives
said Jau will
be "rolled
into" a
Presidential
Statement the
US is charged
with drafting,
supporting the
Mbeki panel.
Inner
City
Press spoke
exclusively
with Mbeki
after Monday's
meeting, and
put the video
online.
Since then,
sources who
were in the
meeting
have told
Inner City
Press that
Mbeki and his
co-panelist
said that
South Sudan is
to blame for
walking away
from
agreements.
It
was
said that
South Sudan
believes that
without oil
pumping,
Khartoum
can only last
eight months,
while Juba can
last at least
12 months. One
Council
member, on
this, told
Inner City
Press it is
very bad,
playing
chicken this
way.
The
range
of
descriptions
of the Mbeki
panel briefing
reflected how
various
Council
members wanted
the Mbeki
panel briefing
to be
reported.
Western
countries
supportive of
South Sudan
said little
about it.
Those more
attuned to
Khartoum said
little, but
now say
that the mood
of the Council
has change,
statements on
Sudan must be
"more
balanced."
What will the
US do? Watch
this site.
Footnote:
at
Wednesday's
noon briefing,
Inner City
Press asked
how Ladsous
could brief
since the UN
on Monday said
it had no
access to Jau
and
could not
confirm
anything, and
if Ladsous
would speak to
the press.
On his way out
of the
Council,
Ladsous did
not say a word
to the
media. The
vigil
continues.
, 
