China wants "nothing until Abuja talks" are completed

UN draft resolution names four men who would face sanctions:

- Gaffar Mohamed Elhassan, former commander of the Sudanese air force's western region. Council diplomats said he had direct operational command of Sudan's army in Darfur from 2004-2006 and coordinated operations between government forces and the Janjaweed which resulted in scores of attacks on non-Arab villages. He was also a supplier and conduit for weapons getting into Darfur, the diplomats said.



- Sheikh Musa Hilal (pictured above) chief of the Jalul tribe in North Darfur. He is a Janjaweed leader and some of the worst atrocities, including rape, robbery and the burning of villages, occurred under his command, with government assistance. His record dates back to 1997 when he was jailed for killing 17 people in Darfur, according to the diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

- Adam Yacub Shant, a commander in the rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Diplomats said he violated the ceasefire in July 2005 by ordering SLA soldiers to attack government forces in Darfur. The attack killed three government soldiers.

- Gabril Abdul Kareem Badri, a rebel commander in the National Movement for Reform and Development (NMRD). Diplomats said he kidnapped members of the African Union peacekeepingmission in Darfur in October 2005 and threatened to shoot down AU helicopters in November 2005.

Full report by Edith M Lederer Associated Press Apr 25, 2006 via Aljazeera.

Note, the report says that when asked whether they would veto the resolution or abstain, Konstantin Dolgov, Russia's deputy UN ambassador, and Wang Guangya, China's UN ambassador, said they had not yet received instructions.

"We think that we should not take any steps which could have a negative bearing on the Abuja peace talks," Dolgov said. "But at the same time, decisions that have been previously taken by the council, they are to be implemented. It's a matter of how and when."

Wang said China wants "nothing until Abuja talks" are completed.