Bush warns of sanctions over Darfur

President George W Bush said today that the United States will tighten economic sanctions on Sudan and impose new punishments if it fails to take concrete action to stop the bloodshed in Darfur.

President Bush said Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir must follow through on the deployment of the UN support forces, allow the deployment of the full UN-African Union peacekeeping force and take every necessary step to facilitate its deployment.

He must end support to violent militias and reach out to the rebel leaders and allow humanitarian aid to reach the people of Darfur, President Bush said.

“If President al-Bashir does not meet his obligations. the United States of America will act,” he said.

President Bush warned of a series of steps if the Sudanese president does not meet his obligations.

He said the United States will tighten economic sanctions on Sudan, barring certain companies from taking part in the US financial system; target sanctions on individuals responsible for violence; and apply new sanctions against the government of Sudan.