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December 20, 2006
No Fly Zone for Darfur
It's no match for boots on the ground, but it's something.
U.K.'s Blair would support Darfur no-fly zone
LONDON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Britain's Tony Blair would support a no-fly zone in Sudan's Darfur region as part of a U.N.-sanctioned "Plan B" to halt the violence, an aide said on Wednesday, as the U.S. also mulled options to ease the crisis.Blair's spokesman quoted the prime minister as saying during a visit to Washington last week that the option of a no-fly zone in Darfur should be considered as part of possible sanctions against Sudan's government if it did not agree to a U.N. peace plan.
"If, in the next weeks and next couple of months or so the Sudanese government are not prepared to agree to the U.N. plan, then we've got to move to sanctions and we've got to move to tougher action," he quoted Blair as saying.
"I think we should certainly consider the option of a no-fly zone to help people in Darfur, because it's a very, very serious situation and it's now spilling into other countries next door."
Of course, the US is less specific. Defenders of freedom and all:
The United States is also growing increasingly frustrated with Sudan's refusal to accept an international force in Darfur and U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said while diplomacy was the focus, other options were being explored."The (U.S.) president's going to consider what options he thinks are necessary in order to address the grave situation there," McCormack told reporters.
Another State Department official said while a no-fly zone was an option, the focus would likely be on economic sanctions, travel bans on Sudanese officials and other measures.
"There are a lot of ideas floating around out there," said the official, who asked not to be named.
Posted by Mike at December 20, 2006 07:20 PM
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