US pushes for new UN resolution on Darfur force

April 23, 2007 (UNITED NATIONS) — The United States introduced a U.N. Security Council resolution on Monday that calls for a large U.N. force in western Sudan’s Darfur region to protect civilians threatened by violence.

But the draft resolution ran into opposition because it did not focus solely on renewing the mandate for the 10,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Sudan, where troops are helping to keep a truce after two decades of civil war.

The U.S. draft also raised opposition because it calls for a three-month extension for the southern Sudan force instead of the usual six months recommended by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“Lots of members supported what the secretary-general had recommended,” British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, this month’s council president, told reporters.

Sudan recently agreed to a “heavy support package” for the African Union troops in Darfur that includes some 3,500 military and police personnel. But Khartoum has not approved a “hybrid” U.N.-AU force of more than 20,000 troops and police, which the council first authorized last August.

Still, the U.S. draft expresses the council’s “intention” to establish a hybrid force in Darfur where at least 200,000 people have been killed and more than 2.3 million made homeless in four-year battles among African rebel groups, the Arab-dominated government and militia who back it.

The draft also asked the secretary-general to ensure the hybrid force protects “civilians under threat of physical violence,” prevent attacks against civilians and provides U.N. command and control structures.

It also says the United Nations should put into place urgently the support packages for the African Union.

But South Africa’s U.N. ambassador, Dumisani Kumalo, immediately objected, saying: “We can’t mix everything in the same resolution.” Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin agreed, saying: “At first glance there were some issues raised which do not have to be in the draft resolution.”

Security Council members were also concerned that the United Nations had not appointed a representative for its Khartoum-based mission for southern Sudan since Dutchman Jan Pronk was expelled last November, diplomats said.

SANCTIONS?

Britain and the United States have been drawing up a sanctions resolution if Sudan continues to balk at U.N. demands, although no date has been set for its introduction.

“We’re discussing it with colleagues and progressively broadening the discussions,” Jones Parry said. But he said much happened on the ground and much depended on Khartoum’s agreement for a large force.

“Do we get agreement on the hybrid, are we moving forward or are we playing games?” Jones Parry asked.

“Events will determine this but we are under no illusions we are ready to put down a text,” he said. “We have the text, which is 95 percent cooked but we are doing our colleagues the courtesy of consulting with them at this stage.”

Among the sanctions under consideration are an arms embargo for the entire country and adding names to a previous list of four individuals from the government, militia and rebels under travel and financial bans. Companies and institutions might also be included.

The United States and Britain also want monitors at airports in Sudan, preferably from the African Union. A total flight ban has not been included.

(Reuters)