PSC/Min/Comm.(XXXIV) – (iii) Page 1 COMMUNIQUE ON THE SITUATION IN THE DARFUR REGION OF THE SUDAN The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 34th meeting held on 3rd July 2005, adopted the following communiqué on the situation in the Darfur Region of the Sudan: Council, 1. Welcomes the relative calm currently prevailing in Darfur and encourages the Sudanese parties concerned to do their utmost to maintain and consolidate this calm; 2. Further welcomes the steps taken towards the strengthening of the African Mission in the Sudan (AMIS), pursuant to decision PSC/PR/Comm.(XXVIII), adopted at its 28th meeting held on 28 April 2005. In this respect, Council commends the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) for their commitment to deploy, on schedule, the additional troops required to reach the newly authorized strength of 7,731; 3. Commends the AU Partners for their continued support to the AMIS, particularly the pledges made during the Pledging Conference held in Addis Ababa on 26 May 2005 and the logistical assistance being provided for the deployment, on schedule, of the additional troops required to reach the newly authorized strength of 7,731. Council appeals to the AU Partners to provide the much-needed additional financial resources in order to make up for the gap in the funding of AMIS operations; 4. Appeals to AU Member States to contribute resources, both financial and logistical, to support the operations of AMIS; 5. Expresses AU's concern over the inflexible positions adopted by Parties to the Talks during the ongoing discussions on the Declaration of Principles (DoP), resulting in the slow pace of the negotiations in Abuja; 6. Underscores the fact that the core of the conflict in Darfur is political and socio-economic in nature and that the Abuja Peace Talks provide the most viable mechanism to achieve a negotiated and lasting solution; 7. Expresses its support to Salim Ahmed Salim, the AU Special Envoy and Mediator, under whose authority the 5th Round of the Inter-Sudanese Peace Talks in Abuja, that started on 10 June 2005, are being conducted. Council further expresses its appreciation of the support being provided by President Olusegun Obasanjo, current Chairman of the AU. Council acknowledges the contribution of Chad and the other African Facilitators, as well as the Observers from the partner countries and institutions, and urges them to continue to extend maximum support to the Mediator and to do their utmost to encourage the parties to work earnestly towards reaching an early comprehensive agreement;