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US, UK threaten Sudan on Darfur

The US and others will consider imposing punitive measures on Sudan for its refusal to allow an international force into the devastated Darfur region, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

State Department spokesman Tom Casey told reporters Washington was increasingly impatient over what he called Sudan's "delaying tactics" over sending a joint African Union (AU)-UN force into Darfur.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir sent a letter to the UN early this month arguing in detail against UN plans to bolster under-financed AU military monitors.

"To the extent that Sudan continues to frustrate implementation of this agreement, the US and other members of the international community are going to have to think seriously about implementing additional measures to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Darfur," Casey said.

"It is clear that our patience is limited," he added.

Britain said it wanted the Security Council to extend UN sanctions against Sudan.

"I would put down a resolution on sanctions next week ... that I would expect to get ... adopted," Britsh Ambassador to the UN Emyr Jones-Parry told reporters. "We are going to hold President Omar al-Bashir to his commitment."

The sanctions, which the EU has already advocated, could include broadening a proposed no-fly zone over Darfur to an arms embargo and adding to the list of four people subject to an assets freeze and travel ban.

In his letter, to be discussed at a UN council lunch today with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Bashir said he wanted to restrict UN movements in Darfur, limit overflights or attack helicopters and would bar international police from government controlled zones and other areas.

A UN human-rights mission report accused the Sudanese government of orchestrating gross violations in Darfur, a claim Khartoum called invalid.

Sudan said the humanitarian situation had improved, charged the UN team's leader with bias and said the mission should not have gone ahead after some members dropped out.

"We therefore strongly and resolutely oppose any consideration by this esteemed council of any report that comes out of this mission," Sudanese Justice Minister Mohamed Ali Elmardi told the 47-state council in Geneva.
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