US pushes for quick UN vote on Sudan resolution

The United States made further changes to its draft resolution Tuesday, demanding Sudan act to stabilize situation in its western Darfur region, and called for a vote at the Security Council later this week.

The new draft, which was circulated at a closed council meeting earlier in the day, maintains the threat of imposing unspecified sanctions on Sudan if it fails to meet the demand to arrest and prosecute within 30 days leaders of Arab militia operating in Darfur.

The militia, known as the Janjaweed, has been widely blamed for terrorizing black Africans in Darfur, where a serious humanitarian crisis is unfolding. The Sudanese government was accused of supporting the militia, an accusation vehemently denied by Khartoum.

A major change of the draft is the inclusion of an extra demand for Sudan to disarm the militia as it promised earlier in an agreement with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The UN chief is requested to report to the council on Sudan's compliance in one month.

The revised version still contains an arms embargo on the Janjaweed and other armed groups in Darfur, including the two rebel forces formed by local black tribes, Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement.

The United States introduced a draft resolution at the end of June to pressure Sudan to rein in the Janjaweed. It was amended last week to add the threat of sanctions on the Sudanese government.

US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Stuart Holliday told reporters that he had informed other council members to prepare for a vote "either Thursday or Friday."

But diplomatic sources said the threat of sanctions was strongly opposed by a number of council members, including Russia,Pakistan, Algeria and China, which appealed for enough time for Khartoum to carry out its promises.

The conflict in Sudan, which flared up in February 2003, has left up to 30,000 people dead and more than 1 million displaced, of whom nearly 150,000 fled to neighboring Chad. The humanitarian crisis in the region has drawn much attention from the international community, particularly Western countries.

The European Union issued a statement last week backing the threat of UN sanctions, with Britain threatening military intervention in the crisis. The US draft and the talk of military intervention have been denounced by Sudan.

Source: Xinhua