Pronk to continue serving as Special Representative in sudan

until end of year, Secretary-General confirms

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General has now confirmed that Jan Pronk will continue to serve as his Special Representative in the Sudan until the end of the year, when his contract is set to expire.

Following ongoing consultations with the Sudanese authorities, it is expected that Mr. Pronk will return to Khartoum during November to organize an orderly handover to the Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Mission, before returning to New York for debriefings and the completion of his mission.

As you will recall, on Sunday, 22 October, the Secretary-General received a letter from the Sudanese Foreign Minister, which stated that the Government of National Unity considered Pronk’s mission as “terminated”, and requested Mr. Pronk to leave the Sudan within 72 hours.  The Secretary-General subsequently requested his Special Representative to travel to New York for consultations.

The Secretary-General has protested the decision with President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir of the Sudan, and has reiterated his full confidence in Jan Pronk.

The Secretary-General has made it clear that he alone can decide on the tenure of his Special Representatives.  However, he also realizes that, at a critical time in the Darfur negotiations, it is important that we preserve a good working relationship with the Government of the Sudan and he is certain the Officer-in-Charge, Taye Zerihoun, will be able to provide this.

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For information media • not an official record