Foreign Affairs committee  The force, as it's currently mandated, would not change dramatically in size or composition. However, the UNMIS force is intimately linked with the CPA. Come next year, the Security Council is going to have to reconsider the form that UNMIS takes, or some of UNMIS for that matter.

Foreign Affairs committee  As I understand from UNMIS, they are pre-positioning some forces in potential flashpoints, but the UNMIS command itself does not see putting in additional forces...its role is not an inter-position force. It's role has a civilian protection mandate, but it principally has a monitoring mandate.

Foreign Affairs committee  That's approximately right. There are three or four in Operation SATURN. I've heard there are up to 39 in SAFARI, but it varies from day to day. That's the ballpark figure.

Foreign Affairs committee  We have not been asked for more.

Foreign Affairs committee  Mr. Obhrai asked about post-referendum issues. I would focus on a number of issues, and how Canada can contribute to that. I think the Carter Center speaker has mentioned the issue of citizenship. I think this is possibly the most important single post-2011 issue. There are approximately one and a half million southerners living in northern Sudan and several hundred thousand northerners living in southern Sudan.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, it could.

Foreign Affairs committee  In fact it does. The question of human rights, including women's rights, is a key part of our commitment in Sudan. It is an issue that we have raised with Sudanese authorities and with NGOs as well. During our visit, we had occasion to meet with NGOs that specialize in human rights and with some that focus specifically on women's rights.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Dorion. I met with representatives of the Arab league at their headquarters in Cairo. I have to say the discussions focused primarily on the situation in Darfur. In my view, the Arab League's approach is generally very positive and constructive. The organization is heavily involved in the Darfur issue and promotes an approach in line with the peace process negotiated in Doha.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. As Mr. Bobiash has already updated you on developments in Sudan and the impressions and findings of the Whole-of-Government mission, I would like to take this opportunity to brief you on other activities I undertook during this trip, thereby giving you a picture of how Canadian diplomacy is engaged on Sudan as an issue of international significance.

Foreign Affairs committee  There are many minorities in the north. Sudan is a very diverse country. In our dealings with the Government of Sudan, we put a premium on human rights. We keep stressing to them, through programming but also through our dialogue with them, that a sine qua non for a better relationship with Canada is an improved human rights record.

Foreign Affairs committee  For the most part, it's during that week. We'll be back the week after the break week.

Foreign Affairs committee  The north-south border was established in 1956, but the border line has not been demarcated. Over the course of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, both parties have been working on this issue. To date, they have demarcated 80% of the border. The remaining 20% is the problem area where there are populations on both sides of the border.

Foreign Affairs committee  The strategy is geared to the local situation. We have a cross-country approach to Sudan, which doesn't mean that we have projects in each state, but we have decided not to focus on Darfur or the south or the centre. In Darfur, most of the programming is humanitarian, given the current situation, whereas in the south, it's more a matter of postwar reconstruction.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes.

Foreign Affairs committee  I'll answer this question in two parts. One is on the process of negotiation between north and south over Abyei. This enclave has been subject to an international law case in the Hague that in effect awarded, for the interim period, most of Abyei to the south, but the ultimate status of it will be determined in the referendum.