Statement of Maureen Byrnes, Executive Director,

On the Feb. 13 meeting between President Bush and Secretary General Kofi Annan:

“The announcement that the United States and the United Nations will be working together to address Darfur is welcome. We continue to believe that in addition to deploying peacekeeping troops, an effort that ensures lasting peace is essential. At the rate discussions are moving, peacekeepers won’t help the people of Darfur any time soon, and yet there was no indication that the U.S. and U.N. leaders discussed peacemaking, which is essential if the escalating violence is to stop.”

“What’s needed is a prominent international figure of the highest stature, appointed by the United Nations, to reenergize the peace process. Troops are important, but truce even more so. This is something the United States and the United Nations could make happen right away.”