UN Council to vote on Darfur force

UNITED NATIONS – A US-British-drafted resolution to create a United Nations peacekeeping force in Sudan’s Darfur region faced a vote yesterday but troops would not be deployed without consent from the Khartoum government.

So far Sudan has refused to allow the United Nations to replace or absorb an African Union force in Darfur, which has only enough money to exist until its mandate expires on September 30 and has been unable to stop the humanitarian crisis in the lawless west of the country. The vote on the resolution, which can be delayed until Friday if any of the 15 UN Security Council members request it, calls for up to 22 500 UN troops and police officers and an immediate injection of air, engineering and communications support for the 7 000-member African force.Council members predict 13 nations will vote in favour.Qatar, the only Arab member, is expected to vote “No” while China, which has close ties to the Sudan government, may abstain.Nampa-ReutersThe vote on the resolution, which can be delayed until Friday if any of the 15 UN Security Council members request it, calls for up to 22 500 UN troops and police officers and an immediate injection of air, engineering and communications support for the 7 000-member African force.Council members predict 13 nations will vote in favour.Qatar, the only Arab member, is expected to vote “No” while China, which has close ties to the Sudan government, may abstain.Nampa-Reuters