Security Council okays African Union-UN force for Darfur

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The UN Security Council yesterday took a major step toward settling the four-year-old Darfur conflict by authorizing joint African Union-UN peacekeeping in Sudan's strife-torn region.

The 15-member body voted unanimously to approve Resolution 1769 mandating a 26,000-strong "hybrid" force, to be known as UNAMID, to take over peacekeeping in Darfur from 7,000 ill-equipped AU troops.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon immediately hailed as "historic and unprecedented" the resolution, which was co-sponsored by Britain, Belgium, Congo, France, Italy, Peru and Slovakia.

Although it also backed the resolution and worked closely with the lead co-sponsors -- Britain and France -- the United States took a tough stance against Khartoum, warning of sanctions if it did not comply with the resolution.

"Sudan can choose the path of cooperation or defiance," said US ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad.

"We look to its government to do the right thing and pursue the path of peace," he added. "If Sudan does not comply" with the resolution, "the United States will move for the swift adoption of unilateral and multilateral measures" against Khartoum.

The vote came only hours after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in a speech at the United Nations, also threatened sanctions if the violence in the Sudanese western region did not stop.

Britain and France, which spearheaded weeks of intensive council bargaining that led to Tuesday's agreement, immediately hailed the vote.

"We want to see a new beginning in Darfur," Britain's outgoing UN Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry told reporters. "We've just mandated what will be the world's peacekeeping force to tackle one of the world's most severe humanitarian problems."

Four million people live in food aid in Darfur where 200,000 people, according to UN estimates, have died from the combined effect of war and famine.

Jones Parry said the council would look to all Sudanese parties -- governement and Darfur rebels -- to cooperate on the peacekeeping, political and humanitarian tracks.

"We will judge them by their actions not by their words," he added.