Bush signs Sudan sanctions bill
US President George W Bush has signed a $US300 million bill promoting peace and providing aid for refugees in Sudan, while punishing the Government for failing to stop atrocities there.
"Today, I have signed into law ... the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act of 2004,... intended to help resolve conflict, reduce human suffering and encourage freedom and democracy," Mr Bush said in a statement.
The Sudan Act, passed on December 7 by the US Senate and in November by the House of Representatives, aims to respond to the conflict in Darfur, providing support for the deployment of additional African Union forces to the region.
The Bill also sanctions the Government of Sudan for its failure to intervene to stop the atrocities in Darfur, imposing an asset freeze on senior Sudanese officials and calling for a travel ban for those officials.
The legislation also authorises $US100 million as an incentive for the warring parties to reach a final and comprehensive peace agreement.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher on Monday said the United States "is gravely concerned by the intensified violence that has been taking place in Darfur in recent days." He added that "both sides need to pull back and respect the cease fire."
Mr Boucher made his remarks as African Union mediators met with delegates from the Sudanese Government and two main rebel groups in a bid to revive stalled talks on the fighting that has left an estimated 70,000 people dead and 1.5 million displaced.
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