German minister calls for Sudan sanctions

BERLIN, Sep 12, 2004 (Deutsche Welle) — German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul says she favours tough sanctions against Sudan.

The German minister said that contradictory promises from the Sudanese leadership had not help improve security in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region where Arab militias are accused of carrying out a campaign of genocide.

Wieczorek-Zeul recommended an arms and oil embargo along with the freezing of Sudan’s assets.

She also called for more peacekeepers from the African Union to be sent to Darfur to protect black Africans there from the Arab militias.