BBC Monitoring Service (UK)	

Sudan: National body for combating AIDS calls for health tests on Rwandan troops		
August 22 2004

The national programme for combating AIDS has expressed fear over presence of Rwandan 
troops in Darfur region.

In a press statement to SMC [Sudanese Media Centre], the director of the body, Dr Muhammad 
Ahmad Abd-al-Hafiz, said the percentage of those infected with AIDS in Rwanda has reached 
nine per cent, meaning it is one of the countries south of the Sahara which have 
60 per cent of the world's AIDS victims.

Abd-al-Hafiz said the government had the right to necessary health test on Rwandan troops. 
He said this should only apply on Rwandan troops and not the rest of the troops being sent 
to the country. He said the government has the right, according to agreed upon international 
law and charters, to carry out tests and necessary examination on these troops.

He pointed out that [Darfur] states' authorities have the right to protect their citizens. 
He said his body was on a permanent basis receiving information and reports on health 
situation in the [Greater] Darfur States.

Source: Sudanese Media Centre web site, Khartoum, in Arabic 1700 gmt 21 Aug 04