US President George W. Bush said yesterday that his administration was actively engaged in resolving turmoil in Africa even though he is skipping conflict-ridden areas on his five-nation trip to the continent.
In a news conference with Benin President Boni Yayi, Bush defended his decision to visit the western African nation, plus Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia. He said the many conflicts now roiling nearly every corner of Africa were not the main emphasis of his trip, which is meant to highlight success stories.
"When you herald success, it helps others realize what is possible," Bush said.
"This is a large place with a lot of nations and no question not everything is perfect. On the other hand, there are a lot of great success stories and the United States is pleased to be involved with those success stories," Bush said.
He mentioned US efforts in Kenya, which US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit tomorrow, and Sudan's Darfur region.
He called for a power sharing agreement in Kenya to end the post-election conflict that has killed 1,000 people in the East African state.
"In terms of Condi's visit, the key is that the leaders hear from her firsthand that the United States desires to see that there be no violence and that there be a power sharing agreement that will help this nation resolve its difficulties," Bush said.
The US president said he "had a tough decision early on as to whether to send troops to Darfur.''
He said his decision was guided in part by recommendations from groups working in Darfur, which he did not identify.
He said he hopes to shine a spotlight on the need to speed up the deployment of a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force to Darfur while in Rwanda on Tuesday. Bush intends to thank Rwandans for contributing the largest contingent of troops so far to that mission.
Bush said he would address the continent's turmoil in meetings with the leaders he sees.
"These meetings give me an opportunity to talk about ways forward in trouble spots," he said.
Bush said he thought it would send a strong message for Rice to go to Kenya to give her views.
"The key is that the leaders hear from her firsthand US desires to see that there be no violence, that there be a power-sharing agreement that will help this nation resolve its difficulties," he said.
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