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US anger at Sudan Darfur threat UN anger at Sudan Darfur letter
(about 5 hours later)
The United States has called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after Sudan warned countries not to send peacekeepers to Darfur. UN Security Council members have branded "offensive" a letter sent by Sudan warning African and Arab nations not to send peacekeepers to Darfur.
Sudan sent a letter to all African and Arab countries at the UN, saying that contributing to the proposed UN force would be seen as "a hostile act". The council said it was seeking "clarification" of the letter from Sudan's UN ambassador.
US ambassador to the UN John Bolton said the letter was "a direct challenge" to the Security Council. The US had called an emergency meeting of the council, saying the letter represented "a direct challenge".
A 7,000-strong African force has failed to end Darfur's three-year conflict. UN chief Kofi Annan said Darfur, which has endured a three-year conflict, was "on the brink of catastrophe".
More than 2m people have fled their homes and an estimated 200,000 people have died. A 7,000-strong African Union (AU) force has failed to end the conflict - in which 200,000 people have died and two million people fled their homes.
'Hostile act'
The president of the Security Council for October, Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, said some members felt "the language [in the letter] was inappropriate and offensive".
Mr Oshima said a resolution condemning the letter had been considered, but it was decided to concentrate on how to restore peace in the troubled region.
Sudan's letter said that contributing to a proposed UN peacekeeping force would be seen as "a hostile act".
See which parts of Darfur are too dangerous for aid workersEnlarge Map
Sudan does not want the UN to take control of the peacekeeping force from the AU, saying that would be an attack on its sovereignty.Sudan does not want the UN to take control of the peacekeeping force from the AU, saying that would be an attack on its sovereignty.
The Security Council has approved plans to send a well-equipped 20,000-strong force with a tough mandate to end the conflict in Darfur but says it will only do so if Sudan agrees. The council has approved plans to send a 20,000-strong force with a tough mandate but says it will only do so if Sudan agrees.
'Strong response' The US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, said the letter was "unprecedented... and requires a strong response".
"In the absence of Sudan's consent to the deployment of UN troops, any volunteering to provide peacekeeping troops to Darfur will be considered as a hostile act, a prelude to an invasion of a member country of the UN," Sudan's letter said. Washington says Sudan's military is helping carry out a genocide against Darfur's black African residents.
See which parts of Darfur are too dangerous for aid workersEnlarge Map Mr Bolton said the letter was "unprecedented... and requires a strong response."
The US says Sudan's military is helping with a genocide against Darfur's black African residents.
But Sudan denies backing the Arab Janjaweed militias, accused of riding into villages on horses and camels, killing, raping and looting.But Sudan denies backing the Arab Janjaweed militias, accused of riding into villages on horses and camels, killing, raping and looting.
Sudan says the suffering in Darfur is being exaggerated for political reasons. The conflict began in early 2003, when two new rebel groups began attacking government targets in Darfur.
The mandate of the AU force was due to expire last month but has been extended until the end of the year. Sudan says the suffering in the region is being exaggerated for political reasons.
Aid workers fear that if there are no peacekeepers, the violence would intensify, making their job of delivering aid to the displaced impossible. Delivering his report to the UN on Thursday, Secretary General Annan said humanitarian access to Darfur was at its lowest level since 2004.
He said a peace deal agreed in May had had little effect.
"Instead of reconciliation and building of trust, we are witnessing intensified violence and deeper polarisation. The region is again on the brink of a catastrophic situation," Mr Annan said.
Britain's UN envoy, Emyr Jones Parry, spelled out a four-point strategy for Darfur on Thursday:
  • Strengthening the AU force
  • Getting two Darfur rebel groups to sign the May peace deal
  • Persuading Sudan President Omar al-Bashir to agree to the UN force
  • Improving security for the displaced in camps in neighbouring Chad