Russia, China Block Sudan Sanctions 
By Reuters
April 17, 2006
The New York Times
Original Source: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-sudan-darfur-sanctions.html

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia and China blocked U.N. sanctions on Monday against four Sudanese held responsible for abuses in Darfur but the United States said it would force a public vote on the issue.
The four men, whittled down from a longer British list, include one Sudanese government official, one pro-government militia member, and two rebel leaders, the first to be slated for sanctions authorized by the U.N. Security Council more than a year ago. The four were not identified.
Both the Russian and Chinese ambassadors told reporters now was not the time to impose a travel ban or an assets freeze on Sudanese individuals because of the ongoing peace talks on the escalating Darfur conflict, held in Abuja, Nigeria. They did not make clear if they would approve the embargoes later.
A council sanctions committee on Thursday distributed the four names for approval to all 15 council nations. Had no one objected, the list would have been adopted on Monday.
But China on Monday submitted a letter to the committee, saying the sanctions panel -- and not the full council as U.S. Ambassador John Bolton proposed -- should discuss the issue further, diplomats said. Russia made its objection known in a telephone call, saying it aligned itself with China.
However, Bolton said he wanted a resolution that would impose the sanctions, thereby forcing Russia and China, who have frequently sided with the Khartoum government, to approve, abstain or veto the action publicly.
``We've been trying to get this process in gear for a year,'' Bolton said. New discussions are expected on Tuesday.
``We are preparing a resolution for the full council to adopt. It would impose the sanctions.'' Bolton said. ``It's a down payment, and certainly not the end of the sanctions process.''
The Security Council approved a resolution in March 2005, calling for a freeze on assets overseas and a travel ban on individuals who defy peace efforts, violate human rights or conduct military overflights in Darfur. Russia, China, Algeria and Pakistan abstained.
Beijing's U.N. ambassador, Wang Guangya, told reporters, ''China believes this is not the right moment since the Abuja negotiations are under way, and we expect progress on that'' at the end of April.
Sudan last year was China's seventh largest provider of imported oil, accounting for 5.2 percent of Chinese imports.
But Wang said, ``This story has always been played up, but I think we have to be constructive as far as Sudan is concerned.''
Russia's U.N. ambassador, Andrei Denisov told a news conference, ``Let's wait, at least until the end of April, and then come back to the issue. Don't do any harm to that very fragile process in Sudan.''
Qatar, the only Arab member of the council, also objected, diplomats said.
The Darfur conflict erupted in early 2003 when mostly non-Arab tribes took up arms accusing the Arab-dominated Khartoum government of neglect.
The government retaliated by arming mainly Arab militia, known as Janjaweed, who began a campaign of murder, rape, arson and plunder that drove more than 2 million villagers into squalid camps in Darfur and in neighboring Chad. Khartoum denies responsibility.
The main bulwark against abuses in Darfur is the cash-strapped African Union which, under pressure from its Arab members who side with Khartoum, is hesitating to merge its 7,000 troops with a proposed U.N. force. Sudan has not consented to an enlarged military operation.