Chair of AU fears Darfur crisis could spill into Sudan's neighbours - Congo's President urges international community to react

Chair of African Union, Alpha Oumar Konare, said Jan 10 that an "urgent" solution must be found to the crisis in Darfur, to prevent a spill-over effect.

"The problem in Darfur is so worrying that we must settle it very rapidly. This is a conflict that could destabilise the entire region - Sudan, Chad, West and Central Africa - through the DR Congo and even the Great Lakes region," Konare said on Congo Brazzaville State Radio, after an audience with President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Presidents Denis Sassou Nguesso (Congo) and Idriss Deby (Chad), urged the AU to find a quick solution to the crisis.

At last week's summit of the Economic Community of Central African States in N'djamena, Chad, Nguesso, whose country has troops in the AU peacekeeping force in Darfur, denounced rebels destabilising Chad and urged the international community to react before it was too late.

Full story (AngolaPress) Brazzaville, Congo, Jan 10, 2006.