Bill Richardson met earlier today with the president of Sudan, according to an Associated Press reporter who accompanied the governor on his trip.
There was no immediate statement on the meeting between Richardson and President Omar al-Bashir, or another meeting with Foreign Minister Lam Akol. Richardson is scheduled to meet later today with Minni Mimmawi, the leader of a rebel movement that made peace with the government last year who later became an assistant to the president.
Richardson staffers have said he will also meet on Tuesday in Darfur with current rebel leaders and the commander of the African Union troops in the war-torn region as he attempts to improve the situation before returning home on Wednesday or Thursday.
The conflict in Darfur has claimed the lives of several hundred thousand people and displaced millions. The Sudanese president has, thus far, allowed only African Union troops and a small number of U.N. workers into the region, but none of the U.N. peacekeeping troops the world organization wants to send.
The African Union troops have done little to stop the bloodshed.
When he arrived in Sudan on Sunday, Richardson met with Cameron Hume, the chief U.S. diplomat in Sudan, according to the news service. Hume told Richardson no current strategy for trying to get the government to allow U.N. peacekeeping troops into the nation or brokering a peace deal is working.
But Richardson, according to the news service, said there’s hope.
“I have to tell you, my record with Bashir is pretty good,” the news service quoted him as telling humanitarian group officials. “I think we make some measurable progress if we can help the cease fire and the humanitarian situation and possibly start a united political process that helps keep the U.N. peacekeeping effort alive.”
Following Richardson’s meeting Sunday with humanitarian groups working in Darfur, some representatives were quoted by the news service as saying they were doubtful the governor would make progress with the Sudanese president, and one said the governor was being used by al-Bashir and should not meet with him.
The United Nations and United States have accused a government-backed militia group in Darfur of committing genocide.
Richardson’s visit has earned him news coverage in Sudan and around the world that has focused on an expected announcement in the coming days that he’s running for president. The trip serves as a reminder of Richardson’s foreign-policy experience and helps set him apart in a crowded field of Democratic hopefuls.
Update, 7:10 a.m.
Richardson met privately with the president of Sudan for nearly an hour. He would not say after the meeting whether Omar al-Bashir gave any commitments, but said the two will meet again Wednesday and will issue a joint statement.
“The meeting was good. We made some progress,” Richardson told the Associated Press.
He told the news service the two discussed the U.N. peacekeeping force, a cease-fire, protection for humanitarian groups in the region, sexual violence against refugees and a possible conference with rebel leaders.
Bill Richardson met earlier today with the president of