By Claudia Parsons
New York - A stepped-up peacekeeping force to stem violence in Sudan's Darfur region may take six months to deploy after a resolution is passed at the United Nations Security Council, a UN official said on Wednesday.
Earlier in Khartoum, the United Nations said murder, rape and abductions were on the rise in West Darfur state, noting with concern that increased violence in the lawless Sudanese region had driven more people into camps.
British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, who is co-authoring a resolution mandating the hybrid operation of UN and African Union peacekeepers, said on Wednesday he expected to finalise the draft this week, and it could come to a vote a week later.
Hedi Annabi, assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, told reporters after briefing the Security Council that there would be a troop-contributors meeting on Friday.
He said much groundwork was needed before the force can be deployed and it was difficult to set a precise timeline.
"We hope that we can start deploying this operation within six months from the day a resolution and a mandate are adopted by the Security Council," Annabi said. "It does take time."
Under sustained international pressure, Sudan agreed on June 12 to a combined United Nations and African Union peacekeeping force of more than 20 000 troops and police, but many diplomats doubt Khartoum will keep its word.
The force's aim is to stop the violence in Darfur.
Sudan has sent mixed signals about the hybrid force, saying it should be under the AU's command and control rather than the United Nations', and suggesting it should be mainly African.
Asked about reported comments by Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir that the force should not include Western troops, Annabi said Bashir had assured the Security Council this month that he accepted the force without conditions.
"What we need to focus on now is implementation and deeds rather than words," Annabi said. "We should all choose to have some hearing problems because reacting to this or that statement might not be helpful," he added.
"We have as part of the understanding a commitment that we will look in priority for African troops. We will make every effort to preserve the African character of the operation," he said.
Belgian Ambassador Johan Verbeke, who holds the Security Council presidency, said it was vital that the resolution mandating the force was unambiguous, particularly in setting out the command and control structure of the force, which is unusual in being a joint UN-AU operation.
He said he also wanted to see a clear timetable for the deployment.