    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [June 10, 2004]
    [Page 1019]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    G-8 Statement on Sudan
    June 10, 2004

        We, the Leaders of the G-8, warmly welcome the May 26 signing by the
    Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) of
    protocols on Power Sharing, Abyei, and on the Two Areas (of Southern
    Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains). We urge the parties to reach a final and
    comprehensive agreement which includes a timetable and security
    arrangements as quickly as possible. We hope that this agreement and its
    faithful implementation will end one of the world's most painful
    conflicts and begin a new era of Sudanese peace and prosperity.
        We also wish to express our grave concern over the humanitarian,
    human rights, and political crisis in Darfur. We welcome the N'djamena
    ceasefire agreement of April 8, and the announcement on May 20 by the
    Government of Sudan that restrictions on humanitarian access will be
    eased. However, there are continuing reports of gross violations of
    human rights, many with an ethnic dimension. We call on all parties to
    the conflict to immediately and fully respect the ceasefire, allow
    unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need, and create the
    conditions for the displaced to return safely to their homes. We call
    especially on the Sudanese government to disarm immediately the
    ``Janjaweed'' and other armed groups which are responsible for massive
    human rights violations in Darfur. We call on the conflict parties to
    address the roots of the Darfur conflict and to seek a political
    solution.
        We support the African Union as it assumes the leading role in the
    monitoring mission which is now being sent to the Darfur region to
    supervise the cease-fire agreement.
        We pledge our countries' assistance in ending the conflicts in Sudan
    and in providing humanitarian aid to those in need. We call on all
    parties to the conflicts in Sudan to commit themselves to respecting the
    right of all Sudanese to live in peace and dignity.
        We look to the United Nations to lead the international effort to
    avert a major disaster and will work together to achieve this end.

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this joint statement.