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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the peace settlement in the Sudan signed at Naivasha; what help the Government intend to offer in relation to maintaining the peace, with particular reference to Abeyei, the Nuba Mountains and the Southern Blue Nile and Darfur; and what assessment he has made of the implications of the peace settlement for the possible implementation of Sharia law in the south of the country. [177443] Mr. Mullin: We welcomed the signing on 26 May of the latest protocols at the Sudan peace talks at Naivasha. These protocols cover power-sharing, the two areas (Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile) and Abyei, and, together with the previously agreed documents, provide the political framework for a comprehensive peace agreement. We are calling on all parties to continue to work towards the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement can be signed soon. In the expectation of a peace agreement the UK has allocated £35million to Sudan for 2004-05. In addition, we have also allocated £3.5 million from the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool. In respect of nationally enacted legislation, Sharia law will only apply in the states outside Southern Sudan, as stated in the Machakos Protocol of 20 July 2002. Despite the progress at the Peace Talks in Naivasha, we remain deeply concerned about the situation in Darfur. We have already committed over £18.2 million in response to the crisis there, and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, is currently visiting the region.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

177443; 422 c309W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Development aid Peace Sudan Islam Legal systems Peace negotiations Darfur

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk