国际英语新闻：Peace in Sudan depends on peace in Darfur, says UN chief

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-general Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday said that "peace in Sudan depends on peace in Darfur."

The secretary-general made the statement at a press conference here after he briefed the UN Security Council on his recent trip to Switzerland, Ethiopia, Britain and Germany.

Ban's statement came one day after the Monday announcement of the final results of south Sudan's referendum, which showed that an overwhelming majority opted for secession.

"On Sudan, now that the referendum has taken place peacefully our attention is focused on post-referendum issues and resolving the question of Abyei," Ban said. "Peace in Sudan also depends on peace in Darfur."

Abyei is an area straddling northern and southern Sudan, that was due to have voted in a separate but simultaneous referendum in January on which side it would join.

But a referendum commission has yet to be established there, and there is still no agreement on who would be eligible to vote.

Throughout the referendum period, the UN Missions in Sudan ( UNMIS) intensified its peacekeeping patrols in Abyei after reports of clashes between Arab nomadic cattle-herders, known as Misseriya and linked to the North, and the Dinka ethnic group linked to the South.

In its statement issued on Monday, the secretary-general's Panel on the referenda noted recent deadly clashes in Abyei, " which have only further complicated the situation," and stressed the continuing importance of the protection of all Sudanese civilians, whether northerners or southerners.