The Financial Times urged the UN to give Sudan more time

CAIRO, August 27 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – A leading British newspaper warned Friday, August 27, the United Nations against moving fast to impose sanctions or allow a military intervention against Sudan as the first UN deadline for the African country over the Darfur crisis is only days ahead.

According to related UN Security Council Resolution adopted July 30, Sudan has until the end of the month to show that it has restored order and security in Darfur , or face action by the UN, including unspecified economic and diplomatic sanctions or even military intervention.

"It is not certain that the kind of sanctions the UN would be likely to impose on the country - already subject to a long-standing US trade ban - would work better," Financial Times said.

The paper asked the United Nations to give Sudan more time to end the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and rein in militias blamed for the 18-month conflict.

"There is a risk that too much outside pressure would increase hostility towards the United States and other western governments and strengthen hardliners in the ruling clique," said the paper.

That, the paper warned, in turn could undermine the emerging peace deal in the long-running war over Sudan 's war-torn south, a deal involving hard-to-swallow concessions.

It added: "As the Financial Times has already argued, the priority now must be to create the conditions for a broadly similar deal in Darfur . Without a political settlement there will be no long-term security for the region's displaced communities."

The UN fact-finding mission, led by  UN envoy to Sudan Jan Pronk, is due to report Tuesday, August 31, on whether Khartoum is fulfilling its pledges. A criticism of the Khartoum government is expected.

Pronk was quoted by the Sudanese press as saying Thursday, August 26, the situation in Sudan 's western region of Darfur "has not changed much" and that the United Nations wants action not words".

Risky Option

Thing is how to help alleviate the sufferings of the people

The Times warned more forceful outside intervention to secure safe havens for civilians "would be morally justified but fraught with risk."

The paper noted that any such military initiative would have to rely if not on the United States - overstretched and deeply compromised by its involvement in Iraq - then on Britain or France .

Prime Minister Tony Blair has reportedly mulled a military intervention in Sudan allegedly to ameliorate humanitarian crisis in Darfur , as the United States has also mounted pressures for UN sanctions on the African country.

The British paper admitted the United Nations is now in a cleft stick. On one hand, the Sudanese government is unlikely to do anything except under intensive international pressure. It cannot be allowed to string the United Nations along indefinitely.

Yet, concerted lobbying - this week by Jack Straw, the British Foreign Secretary, the latest in a succession of high-level visitors to Darfur - appears to be having some, if slow, effect.

Americans also heaped pressure for a military action against Darfur , urging western so-far reluctant powers to take a similar action.

"In the era of global terrorism, such intervention also has an important strategic dimension. That is because failed states can provide refuge for terrorists," said Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in an op-ed article published by the Financial Times Thursday.

African Union Support

The Financial Times rather called on Washington and the European Union to throw their weight behind the African Union (AU) efforts to promote and enforce peace in Darfur , where the world body said the worst humanitarian crisis is taking place.

The editorial comment in the British Daily said that Sudan has been more willing to accept (although still grudgingly) an increasing presence of African troops.

"For the moment this is the most promising chance of mitigating the crisis," it concluded.

Sudan has already agreed to allowing about 300 AU forces to protect more than 100 observers of a shaky April cease-fire, including 150 Nigerian troops who are to leave for Sudan Monday.

Mounting Pressure

Meanwhile,  Pronk reminded Sudan that it had to fulfill four conditions by the end of the month to avert UN sanctions: "Disarming and confining the pro-government militias and providing lists of those guilty of crimes in Darfur .

"Keeping regular soldiers, apart from police, away from the camps for displaced persons in the region.

"No hindrance to the work of humanitarian organizations operating in the camps.

"Continuing negotiations with the Darfur rebels for a political solution to the crisis 'whatever the difficulties' and 'whatever the conditions'."

"In Khartoum , we hear a lot of fine words, but the situation in Darfur has not changed much," Pronk was quoted by the Sudanese Press as saying.

"The UN doesn't want promises, but their fulfillment."

This came as an apparent breakthrough aimed at ending the crisis in Darfur seems set to be scuppered after Sudanese rebels rejected key conditions of the deal.

The rebels say they will not disarm or confine their fighters to bases until any political solution to end the conflict, including power and wealth sharing, has been agreed and implemented.

In peace talks mediated by the AU in the Nigerian capital Abuja aimed at ending 18 months of revolt in Darfur , the Sudanese government agreed to a proposal to send more AU troops to the region to help garrison rebel fighters.

At the same time Sudanese forces would disarm the Arab Janjaweed militias.