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Letter of Senator Hillary Clinton to President of the Republic of Slovenia
Ljubljana, 01/27/2006 | press release
"Thank you for sending the copy of your January 8, 2006, letter to Secretary- General Annan regarding conditions in Darfur. I take the situation in Sudan very seriously.
I believe strongly that the atrocities in Darfur must be brought to an end, and I have taken steps to support that objective. As early as June 2004, I co-sponsored legislation in the United States Senate that was ultimately enacted and provided millions of dollars for international disaster and famine assistance including migration and refugee assistance in Darfur and the surrounding region. Most recently, in November 2005, the United States Senate passed the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2005, which calls for, inter alia, an expansion of the size and mandate of the African Union ( AU) mission in Darfur and increase in NATO assistance.
At roughly the same time, I joined with nearly 30 of my Senate colleagues in writing to President Bush, calling for expanded North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO) support for the AU in Darfur and urging that the United States lead the Security Council in both strengthening peacekeeping efforts in Darfur and imposing effective sanctions on perpetrators of violence. A few months earlier, I had joined with a number of my Senate colleagues in writing to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to reiterate the need to take action to address the continuing violence in Darfur. Both of these letters raised a number of important issues, including the need to establish security in Darfur; the need for more effective action by the United Nations Security Council; and the need to create accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations and genocide.
Like you, I have urged the international community to do more. I spoke publicly about Darfur at a Vital Voices Global Partnership Forum at New York University, which commemorated the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. In February 2005, at the Munich Conference on Security, I urged NATO to use its logistical and other capabilities to assist the efforts of the African Union. I have also raised the issue of NATO's involvement in Darfur at a hearing of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee.
The United Nations Security Council has adopted several resolutions addressing the situation in Darfur. I believe that the United States Government should continue to work with the international community to ensure that these resolutions are implemented fully. With the backing of the Sudanese government, the armed militias of the Janjaweed have subjected the people of Darfur to a genocidal campaign. The international community must respond effectively.
Please be assured that I will continue to focus on this issue, and that I will work toward peace in Darfur. Thank you again for contacting me."
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Office of the President of the Republic
Erjavčeva 17
SI-1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
phone: +386 1 478 12 22
fax: +386 1 478 13 57
gp.uprs@up-rs.si
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