U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that time was critical and the Sudanese government's cooperation «essential» to successfully deploying a new peacekeeping force in war-torn Darfur. Ban was quoted as saying by the Associated Press that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir responded positively and reassured the U.N. Chief that his government was ready to cooperate. «Time is of the essence. And the government's cooperation is essential on a range of practical matters,» Ban said. «President Bashir affirmed his commitment and readiness to facilitate all necessary administrative and logistical support, and I appreciate his willingness to cooperate fully,» he told reporters at the airport in Khartoum on Tuesday before flying to Juba in southern Sudan. Ban met with al-Bashir over dinner Monday at the start of his first trip to Sudan since taking the reins of the U.N. in January.
