UN seeks solution after Egypt suspends participation in Mali peacekeeping mission

UNITED NATIONS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is talking with the Egyptian government after Cairo announced a suspension of its participation in the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, said a UN spokesman on Friday.

The Egyptian Permanent Mission to the United Nations has notified the world body that Egypt will temporarily suspend its activities in support of the peacekeeping mission in Mali starting Aug. 15, confirmed Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Egypt's decision came a day after the Malian authorities ordered a suspension of rotations of UN peacekeepers.

"The (Egyptian) decision is related to concern about the increase in attacks on Egyptian peacekeepers who escort convoys supplying bases in central and northern Mali," said Haq.

Seven Egyptian soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the year. The safety and security of peacekeepers is a top priority and essential to ensuring that the United Nations can carry out mandated work to protect civilians and build peace in Mali and all other peacekeeping missions, he said.

"We respect and deeply appreciate the service and significant sacrifice by Egypt and other countries contributing uniformed personnel to our missions, which operate in extremely difficult and often dangerous conditions," he said. "The UN is working closely with Egypt to address this issue."

Haq said the United Nations is dealing with the government of Mali on a number of issues.

On the suspension of rotations, the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known by its French acronym as MINUSMA, is continuing all efforts to meet with the Malian authorities and to address this issue without delay, he said. "And we're going to continue to push our various efforts and see what progress we can make."

On the way ahead beyond Aug. 15, Haq said the United Nations is still in discussions with the Egyptian authorities and will see what will result from the discussions.

"And we're trying to make it clear to them, as well to all of our contingents, not just that we appreciate the contributions that they've made, but that we're doing our utmost to find ways to ensure the safety and security of the peacekeeping contingents themselves. But there's no getting around the fact that it is a dangerous task," he said. "It's been a very fraught situation on the ground. But we'll see also what the results of the discussions with Egyptians are before we consider what the next steps would be."

It is very clear that the people of Mali need protection. So the contributions that the Egyptians have made are crucially important. That is why the world body is seeing what it can do to handle this particular situation, he said. "They've given us some advance warning, so we'll see what can be done. But right now, we are working closely with Egyptians to address this issue."

Haq stressed the fact that Egypt is not talking about a withdrawal, but rather a temporary suspension of activities starting Aug. 15.

He said the Egyptian contingent in MINUSMA has 1,035 personnel.