Sudan: 'Last Chance' on Darfur, Warns U.S. President

18 April 2007
allAfrica.com

Washington, D.C. — U.S. President George W. Bush has expressed skepticism over Sudan's announcement this week that it will accept United Nations personnel as part of a "hybrid" UN-African Union peacekeeping force for Darfur, and has threatened Khartoum with stepped-up sanctions.

In an address dedicated to the Darfur crisis, delivered at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, Tuesday, Bush said the world "has heard these promises from Sudan before." President Omar al-Bashir had a "last chance" to meet commitments made to the UN.

Spelling out the steps the United States expected of Bashir, Bush said he should take every step needed to facilitate the deployment of the full UN-AU force, end support for the Janjaweed militia, reach out to rebel leaders, and allow humanitarian aid to Darfur.

Failing this, the U.S. would tighten economic sanctions, including financial sanctions against companies and individuals, and propose new UN sanctions, incorporating an expanded arms embargo and a ban on offensive military flights over Darfur.

Excerpts of President Bush's speech: U.S. President Warns Khartoum on Darfur

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