A U.N. team left for Chad and the Central African Republic to prepare new recommendations on the possible deployment of a U.N. peacekeeping force to help thousands of civilians caught in the spillover of the Darfur conflict, the Associated Press reported. Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a technical assessment mission to both countries from Nov. 21 to Dec. 3 where members met with the presidents and government officials. But because of attacks and insecurity in the border regions the mission was unable to visit eastern Chad or northeastern Central African Republic. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hedi Annabi said the team, with about 30 members, will start arriving in the Chadian capital, Ndjamena, on Sunday. Over the next two weeks, it will try to get missing information to «add flesh» to its initial recommendations, he said.
