The US president has announced fresh sanctions against Sudan to punish Khartoum over the continued violence in the Darfur region.![Al-Bashir faces criticism for 'promising co-operation' and then 'finding methods of obstruction' [AP]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Darfur/3/Al-Bashir-GD.jpg "Al-Bashir faces criticism for 'promising co-operation' and then 'finding methods of obstruction' [AP]")
Al-Bashir faces criticism for 'promising co-operation' and then 'finding methods of obstruction' [AP]
In brief remarks on Tuesday, George Bush followed through on a threat made six weeks ago to pursue tougher action against a government that he said was complicit in the bombing and rape of innocent civilians.
He ordered economic sanctions, barring 30 companies "owned or controlled by the government of Sudan" from the US financial system.
Bush said: "It is a crime for American companies and individuals to knowingly do business with them."
He also said he was barring people found responsible for violence in Darfur from doing business with Americans and would continue to work towards a diplomatic solution through the UN.
Order to consult
Bush directed Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, to consult Britain and other allies on pursuing new Security Council sanctions against Sudan.
He said: "President Bashir's actions over the past few weeks follow a long pattern of promising co-operation while finding new methods of obstruction."
He also urged al-Bashir to let international peacekeepers into Darfur.
From a US perspective, a new UN resolution would apply new multilateral financial sanctions against Sudan and the three newly targeted individuals and expand an existing arms embargo from individuals operating in Darfur to any sales to Sudan's government, a US official said.
The Darfur conflict has cost at least 200,000 lives and forced more than 2m people from their homes, according to the UN, though Sudan contests those estimates, saying 9,000 people have died.
Khartoum's reaction
A Sudanese official said on Tuesday that the expanded US sanctions would be neither justified nor timely, but would nevertheless not affect Sudan's response to a hybrid force proposal for Darfur.
Mutrif Siddig, a senior official in the foreign ministry, said: "I think these sanctions are not justified. It is not timely." ![The conflict in Darfur has displaced more than two million people from their homes [EPA]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Darfur/3/water-station.jpg "The conflict in Darfur has displaced more than two million people from their homes [EPA]")
The conflict in Darfur has displaced more than two million people from their homes [EPA]
Washington's sanctions will be effective from Tuesday even though US diplomats are launching an all-out effort to win support for a new UN resolution, including efforts to overcome possible Chinese resistance, a senior US official said.
Khartoum's hand has been strengthened by China, which has opposed US-led plans within the Security Council to use sanctions to force al-Bashir to accept a UN deployment.
China openly supplies arms to Sudan and buys more than half of the African state's oil output.
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Reacting to the US sanctions, China's special envoy on Darfur said on Tuesday his country's investment in Sudan can help stop the bloodshed there while sanctions and pressure advocated by some other countries will only complicate the situation.
Liu Guijin, who took up the new post of special representative to African affairs earlier this month, said: "The Darfur issue and issues in eastern Sudan and southern Sudan are caused by poverty and underdevelopment.
"Only when poverty and underdevelopment are addressed will peace be there in Sudan.
"The co-operation between China and Sudan is helpful for the development of Sudan's economy and will fundamentally help Sudan to address the conflicts and wars in Sudan."
Tags: Khartoum Darfur Sudan