Sudan must end Darfur violence or face UN action – Blair

LONDON, Nov 10, 2004 (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that time was running out for the Sudanese government to comply with international demands to end the violence in Darfur.

Blair told the House of Commons that if officials in Khartoum didn’t ease the crisis in the remote western region “they need to be well aware of the fact there will be a serious response from the international community.”

“And the time is running out, frankly, for them to honor these commitments,” added Blair, who visited Sudan last month, urging an end to the violence between Sudanese government forces and two rebel factions in Darfur.

Blair said if the sides didn’t respond they could expect “serious response from the international community.” He didn’t elaborate.

The U.K. hopes the U.N. Security Council will adopt a resolution next week promising international support and possible debt forgiveness if the Sudanese government reaches peace agreements with rebels in the south, and in western Darfur.

But the draft resolution also reiterates that the Security Council will consider “further urgent action” against any party in the Darfur conflict that fails to implement an April cease-fire, protect civilians, cooperate with African Union peacekeepers, disarm militias and prosecute the perpetrators of atrocities.

The Sudanese government is accused of backing Arab militiamen called the Janjaweed in a campaign of violence – including rapes, killings and the burning of villages – to help put down the rebels, who are non-Arab Africans. The government denies backing the militias.