US briefs China on plans to sanction Sudan over Darfur

May 30, 2007 ( BEIJING) — The U.S. briefed China Wednesday about the administration’s plans to introduce a new U.N. Security Council resolution sanctioning Sudan’s government for failing to do enough to halt the bloodshed in Darfur.

The sanctions resolution is expected to face a tough time in the council, in part because of long-standing opposition from China, a veto-wielding council member.

“I wanted to be very clear about what our position is, and the Chinese were equal to the task of explaining how they see the situation,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill. “I think we are united by a desire to resolve the matter.”

The U.S., which has condemned the crisis in Darfur as genocide, has long pushed for a tougher stance against Sudan’s government while China has consistently opposed attempts to pressure Khartoum, saying the issue should be resolved through diplomatic negotiations.

Hill refused to talk about the gap in their positions and gave few additional details about his conversation with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei. He said he expressed support for China’s decision to send engineers to Darfur to support a small force of U.N. peacekeepers that Sudan has agreed to.

U.S. President George W. Bush ordered new economic sanctions Tuesday to pressure Sudan’s government to halt the bloodshed in Darfur. He also directed U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to draft a proposed U.N. resolution to strengthen international pressure on the Sudanese government of President Omar al-Bashir.

The biggest buyer of Sudanese oil and a major investor in Sudan’s economy, China faces growing criticism for not doing enough to pressure Khartoum to end the violence in Darfur.

Hill, who was in China on a one-day stopover, said he and Wu also talked about ways to restart stalled international talks on dismantling North Korea’s nuclear programs, climate change and bilateral relations.

(AP)