U.N. chief urges all Sudanese to support end to Darfur conflict

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that time was critical and the Sudanese government's cooperation "essential" to successfully deploying a new peacekeeping force in war-torn Darfur.

Ban said Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir responded positively and reassured the U.N. leader that his government was ready to cooperate.

"Time is of the essence. And the government's cooperation is essential on a range of practical matters," Ban said.

"President Bashir affirmed his commitment and readiness to facilitate all necessary administrative and logistical support, and I appreciate his willingness to cooperate fully," he told reporters at the airport in Khartoum on Tuesday before flying to Juba in southern Sudan. Ban met with al-Bashir over dinner Monday at the start of his first trip to Sudan since taking the reins of the U.N. in January.

On Monday, Ban said the international community had stood by for too long "as seemingly helpless witness to this tragedy."

But things were changing following the U.N. Security Council's approval of the first joint African Union-United Nations force and stepped-up efforts to get all rebel groups and the government back to the peace table, he said.

"Everyone agrees that there is no military solution. We need a cease-fire now," Ban told the United Nations Association of Sudan soon after his arrival on a weeklong trip that will also take him to Chad and Libya.

Ban singled out U.N. envoy Jan Eliasson in the audience, and his African Union counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim, saying they have been busy trying to get the splintered Darfur rebel movements to peace talks as fast as the AU-U.N. "hybrid" force moves to deploy.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol touted "the tremendous change" in the relationship between Sudan and the United Nations since late 2005, a time when pressure was mounting against Sudan over Darfur.

"We moved from what appeared to be confrontation to fruitful dialogue and sitting together, thinking together and working together toward achieving our common objectives in maintaining international peace and security," he said.

U.N. officials have cautioned, however, that there are many obstacles to overcome. But they welcomed Akol's strong support for both the hybrid force and new political talks, which the U.N. hopes will get under way in October.

The Darfur conflict has left more than 200,000 people dead and forced 2.5 million to flee their homes.

On Tuesday, Ban also said al-Bashir had agreed to immediately release an ailing Darfur rebel chief currently in a U.N. hospital so he can fly to Kenya for medical treatment.

The U.N. had said last month that the government would permit Suleiman Jamous to leave for medical care, but it did not say exactly when he would be allowed to go.

A recent international petition asked for safe passage of the hospital for Jamous, a prominent moderate who has been a key link between Darfur rebels and humanitarian workers, if he commits to peace negotiations. Its signatories included actress Mia Farrow, who has campaigned extensively on Darfur; South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu; and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Richard Holbrooke. Farrow also had offered to give up her freedom and take Jamous' place so he could get safe passage out of the hospital.

"I explained to him that his immediate release would create a favorable atmosphere for the peace process and dialogue," Ban said.

Ban was expected to visit Juba in southern Sudan on Tuesday to discuss the 2005 peace agreement that ended a 21-year civil war between Sudan's Muslim government in the north and mainly Christian and animist rebels in the south.

He will then goes to Darfur for a firsthand glimpse of life in a camp and to assess the upcoming deployment of the hybrid force.