Rice hosts lunch for EU FM's, comment on Darfur

• published: 24 Jul 2015
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European Union Headquarters 1. Wide tilt up, exterior of New York headquarters of the European Union 2.Tracking shot, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana 4. Medium group of EU officials coming out of building 3. EU officials leaving the building Waldorf-Astoria Hotel 4. Medium shot of diplomats and other officials entering conference room 5. Medium representatives of Egypt and the Republic of Congo talking at the table 6. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice greeting guests 7. Wide of guests seated at the table, zoom into Rice 8. Tracking shot of Margaret Beckett, UK Foreign Secretary, entering room and taking her seat 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State: "We meet here today united in our commitment, firm in our resolution, and mindful of our obligations to help end the suffering of the people of Darfur. The violence in Darfur must end and it must end now. The Darfur Peace Agreement, signed in May, provides a political framework to end the conflict and to open a path to peace, freedom and opportunity for the people of Darfur. The future of this agreement, however, is now at risk. The government of Sudan has launched a military offensive and the security situation in Darfur is deteriorating." 14. Wide pan from over room 15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State: "We've pledged to help end the suffering of the people of Darfur and we have committed to a course of action that can achieve these goals. Now we must match the strength of our convictions with the will to realise them. If the notion of the responsibility to protect which we all agreed to last year, if the notion of the responsibility to protect the weakest and most powerless among us is ever to be more than an empty promise, then we must take action in Darfur. This is a profound test for the international community and we must show that we are equal to it." 16. Pull out to wide of room 17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Per Stig Moeller, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Denmark: "It is the responsibility of each individual state to protect its own citizens. It is the responsibility of the international community to assist in exercising this responsibility and if necessary to act. What we would like to see today is a uniform message to the top decision makers in Sudan: 'Work with us, not against us.'" 18. Pull out over room STORYLINE: Violence is getting worse in Darfur despite international peace efforts, and Sudan's central government can no longer resist the world's will to send in peace forces, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday. Rice called a meeting of about two dozen nations and international organisations on the sidelines of the United Nations opening session to push for a stronger international peace force despite objections from Sudan's government. "We meet here today united in our commitment, firm in our resolution, and mindful of our obligations to help end the suffering of the people of Darfur. The violence in Darfur must end and it must end now," he said. Attending the meeting at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York were more than 20 foreign ministers, some from countries closely allied with Sudan. She said the Darfur Peace Agreement signed in May provided a political framework to end the conflict and open a path to peace, freedom and opportunity to the people of Darfur. But she warned: "The future of this agreement, however, is now at risk. The government of Sudan has launched a military offensive and the security situation in Darfur is deteriorating." She said it was time to "match the strength of our convictions with the will to realise them" and she described it as a "profound test for the international community." You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/275312286122c9763a99e606edeeee93 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork