Sudan flip-flops U.N. Security Council resolution

KHARTOUM, July 31, 2004 (dpa) — Sudanese officials, having initially rejected a warning Friday from the United Nations Security Council to end the conflict in Darfur or face sanctions, said Saturday the resolution would be given full consideration.

After the Khartoum government issued a statement saying the resolution was undermining efforts by Arab League and African Union to end the crisis, the government later insisted “it was too early to comment on the resolution”.

A cabinet meeting scheduled for Sunday would focus on the issue, the government said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Mustafa Osman Ismael addressed a press conference Saturday with Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoama, whose country holds the presidency of the U.N. Security Council this month.

Ismael told reporters: “We did not refuse the resolution because its provisions come in line with the Sudan U.N. Memorandum of Understanding on Darfur.”

The Security Council warned the Sudanese government to end the conflict in Darfur or face sanctions. T council threatened an arms embargo for the region to prevent atrocities against civilians.

The 15-nation council voted 13-0 to adopt the resolution. China and Pakistan, which oppose sanctions against Sudan, abstained.

“The resolution should be balanced and address also the rebels. We need more help from the U.N. to address insecurity, humanitarian and the political setup in Darfur” Ismael said.

Khartoum has been accused of idly standing by or actively backing raids by Janjaweed Moslem militia against black African residents of Darfar, a western Sudanese province on the border with Mali.

According to the U.S. relief organization USAID, about 80,000 people have died in Darfur. The U.N. has put the number pf deatjs at 50,000 fatalities. More than 1 million people have been driven from their villages.