Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and I apologize for being a little late for the meeting. It was unavoidable.
I regret missing the earlier part of your presentation, so I hope my question isn't redundant.
Coming in a little late on this discussion, I appreciate the expertise of the people at the table here, and I believe you've cast some very interesting perspectives on what is a very puzzling situation to some of us trying to get our heads around the realities on the ground in Sudan.
I've been trying to deal with how this referendum can actually take place when we don't know how many people are involved, registration isn't complete, there hasn't been education. We summarized the challenges very effectively a few moments ago.
I think I'm hearing a consensus from the end of the table that there's an attitude of inevitability that the south will separate; the expectations are high that, whatever happens with the referendum.... My concern is that if there isn't a sense of legitimacy to a vote, how are we going to avoid descending right back into conflict if the results of a questionable process are not accepted?
I seem to hear a future being proposed that perhaps Canada will have a role to play in helping the two sides afterward, regardless of what happens, as the new realities emerge of two neighbouring states. Canada may have a mentoring role in trying to help the two sides develop relations and develop capacity and live in harmony.
Is that a summary of what your expectations are, that with all of these insurmountable problems in having a legitimate referendum, the result may be a new reality that's going to emerge, and that we should be looking beyond that to how we move to the next steps?