China confirms will send engineers to Darfur

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Source: CCTV.com | 05-09-2007 13:42

At Tuesday's Foreign Ministry briefing, China confirmed it will send engineers to support United Nations peacekeepers trying to quell the violence in Sudan's troubled Darfur region.

Jiang Yu, spokeswoman Chinese Foreign Ministry, said, "At the request of the United Nations and relevant parties the Chinese government has decided to send a group of engineers to Sudan's Darfur region to take part in the implementation of the second phase of the 'Annan Plan'. The aim is to provide support to the peacekeeping activities of the UN and the African Union in this region."

The spokeswoman has also rejected recent claims that Beijing is supplying arms to Sudan for use in Darfur and the calls for a boycott on the 2008 Beijing Olympics. London-based Amnesty International said on Tuesday that China-made arms were being used in Darfur and in neighboring Chad in violation of an UN embargo.

Jiang Yu said, "These accusations are groundless. Some organizations have jumped out recently to sensationalize certain topics, trying to pressure the Chinese government with the name of the Olympics. The Olympic Games is a grand sports festival for people all over the world and the Chinese government and the people are trying their best to make preparations so as to ensure a high-level Beijing Olympics. It is a violation of the spirit of Olympics for some organizations and individuals to use the Olympics as a stage for a political show of their own."

Editor:Du Xiaodan