European Union foreign ministers were set today to call on the United Nations to threaten Sudan with sanctions if it fails to neutralise militia who are responsible for violence in Darfur.
"The Council (of Ministers) appeals to the Security Council of the United Nations to pass a resolution, with a view to taking further action, including imposing sanctions, in case the Government of Sudan does not immediately fulfill its obligations and commitments," a draft statement said.
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier enters a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels today. European Union foreign ministers are set to call on the UN to threaten Sudan with sanctions.
The text also said there was no indication that Khartoum had taken "real and provable steps" to disarm Arab militia, including the Janjaweed, which have driven black Africans into barren desert.
Sudan has denied the conflict in Darfur was genocide and said the term was being used by foreign politicians for their own ends.
Many countries have demanded Khartoum disarm Arab militias in the arid region accused of mounting a "scorched-earth" policy against black Africans that the US Congress has branded genocide. The United Nations says 30,000 people have been killed.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail
"That (the US Congress labelling) is prejudicial. The African Union has concluded there is no question of genocide. I have more confidence in its judgment," Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said in an interview with Belgian daily De Standaardpublished today.
"It's an election year in the United States. Deputies of both parties are targeting the vote of black Americans and present themselves as the protectors of the African interests."
Mr Ismail had talks with EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana and Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot at the weekend and EU foreign ministers were discussing Darfur at a meeting today.
Mr Solana told the Sudanese minister his country must act immediately against Janjaweed Arab militias.
Mr Ismail told the paper "more than 100 Janjaweed militia members had been arrested" and rejected accusations of government involvement in violence.
He said Khartoum was making "serious efforts" to correct the situation and that progress in terms of safety and humanitarian aid had been achieved.
- An aid flight from the global charity Oxfam carrying sanitation and water equipment landed in Sudan's Darfur region today to help ease what the United Nations says is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
The plane left Britain last night for Nyala in southern Darfur, from where its cargo of pumps, purification chemicals, pipework and latrines would be trucked some 15 km to Kalma refugee camp, home to more than 60,000 people.