The Council adopted the following conclusions on the situation in Darfur:
- Humanitarian aid: the Council is particularly alarmed by the continuation of violence and condemns the renewed bombings of civilians by the Sudanese Air Force in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1591. It reiterates its call upon all conflict parties to abide by the existing ceasefire agreements to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Darfur. The EU welcomes the first steps taken towards implementation of the Joint Communiqué on Facilitation of Humanitarian Activities in Darfur agreed by the Government of Sudan and the UN. As member of the High Committee charged with monitoring its implementation, the EU will continue to urge further progress. The EU for its part will undertake to identify options for improving humanitarian access. It stands ready to consider further measures, notably in the UN framework, to ensure humanitarian deliveries and protection of civilians;
- Peaceful resolution of the crisis: the Council recalls that is the primary responsibility of the Sudanese parties to end the suffering of the people of Darfur by finding a sustainable political solution to the root causes of the conflict. In line with Resolution 1591, the Council will consider any party failing to constructively engage in this process as an obstacle to peace and will promote appropriate further measures against them, notably in the UN framework;
- Political solution to the conflict in Darfur: the EU reaffirms its full support for the joint African Union (AU) and United Nations initiative to revitalise the political track. It welcomes the consensus reached in Tripoli on 29 April by all relevant regional and international actors that their efforts shall be co-ordinated under the leadership of the AU and UN Special Envoys. The Council further welcomes the proposal by the Special Envoys for a Road Map towards negotiations as well as the first steps taken by them to increase capacity of the Joint Mediation Support Team;
- Sustainable peace: the Council underlines that a failure in the peace process could jeopardize the situation in Darfur. The Council urges the parties to intensify their efforts to speed up its implementation and calls upon all other political forces to constructively engage in this process. Of particular importance will be the full redeployment of armed forces by July 2007 in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and an acceleration of the preparations for national elections;
- Financial assistance: the EU reiterates its continued support for African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and stresses the need to strengthen the mission in the period of transition to the AU/UN hybrid mission. In this context, the Council welcomes recent decisions, including by the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, securing the continuation of much-needed EU financial support for AMIS through the replenishment of the African Peace Facility. As a first step, a sum of EUR 40 million will be released in June 2007. The Council also welcomes the announcements of voluntary contributions by Member States;
- Maintain the peacekeeping mission in Darfur: the Council welcomes Sudan's acceptance on 12 June of the AU/UN hybrid. It expects the Sudanese Government to swiftly take action to effectively facilitate the deployment of the UN Heavy Support Package to AMIS, and, subsequently, the hybrid operation. It calls upon the AU and the UN to ensure a speedy transition to the hybrid operation and reiterates its readiness to consider further measures, notably in the UN framework, against any party which obstructs its implementation;
- Neighbouring countries: the Council expresses its continued deep concern about the impact of the Darfur crisis on the humanitarian and security situation in neighbouring countries. It however notes as a positive development the recent high-level contacts in Saudi Arabia between the governments of Sudan and Chad aimed at improving their bilateral relations, and encourages both countries to continue and intensify these efforts. The Council supports endeavours by the UN to prepare the deployment of a multidimensional UN presence in Eastern Chad and North-Eastern Central African Republic.
Conclusion: the Council will continue to look at how best to reinforce and develop its engagement in pursuit of the objectives set out in these conclusions and invites the General Secretariat of the Council, the Commission and the relevant bodies of the Council to work in this regard with a view to possible decisions.