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The people of Sudan have shown extraordinary courage and determination in their quest for peaceful change. The Transitional Military Council has exhibited its willingness to engage in negotiation with all political forces. The real architects of this change are the Sudanese people and they expect their legitimate demands to be addressed by all sides and in good faith.
A swift and orderly handover to a civilian transitional body with full decision-making authority is the only way to enable a peaceful, credible and inclusive political process that can meet the aspirations of Sudanese society and lead to much-needed political and economic reforms. The position taken by the African Union's Peace and Security Council is welcome and important in this context.
In the current situation, we expect that all parties in Sudan exercise utmost restraint, prevent further violence and ensure the respect of fundamental freedoms. Perpetrators of violence and abuse, now and in the past, must be held to account. In this regard, the EU recalls that the Rome Statute and the UNSC Resolution 1593 create an obligation to cooperate with the International Criminal Court.
Beyond the lifting of the curfew, further confidence-building measures by the Transitional Military Council would ensure a conducive environment for the political negotiation ahead, to turn once and for all the page in Sudan, as the people are asking: the liberation of all remaining political detainees including Darfuri students; a full, timely and unhindered humanitarian access across the territory, in particular in Darfur and the Two Areas; the immediate reform of the security forces.
The EU is ready to engage with an inclusive civilian transitional body, once in place, to design together our future relationship beginning with immediate support measures to the Sudanese people who continue to face a dire economic and humanitarian situation.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Council of the European Union.
