The UN Security Council should approve a resolution on Darfur that is focused on endorsing a proposed African Union (AU)-UN peacekeeping mission, the Chinese envoy to the UN said Tuesday.

 

Speaking to reporters after the council finished closed-door consultations on African issues, China's Ambassador Wang Guangya, the council's president for July, said the co-sponsors of a draft resolution on Darfur briefed the council on the progress they had made in talks with African countries.

 

He said the agreement reached by the UN, the AU and the Sudanese government on the joint operation is a very positive development that was welcomed by all.

 

While urging the 15-member body to take "quick action" to approve a resolution endorsing this agreement, Wang stressed that China would like to have a "good" resolution that would help maintain the current momentum that is "underway for the better."

 

A "good" resolution, he explained, "is that it should be focused on the Security Council should endorse this joint operation."

 

"If we want to have a resolution that will be helpful for this political process, I do hope that the co-sponsors will also discuss and consult with the government of Sudan, with their representatives here," Wang said.

 

Britain and France are leading efforts to hold talks with the three African countries in the Security Council: Ghana, South Africa and the Republic of the Congo, to make changes to the proposed draft that was circulated nearly two weeks ago.

 

UN diplomats said the co-sponsors have agreed to drop a reference to taking "further measures," which implies possible sanctions against Sudan, if the government fails to comply with the document.

 

They said the council has scheduled a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the draft's latest version.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2007)