ADDIS ABABA. Oct 24 (Interfax) - Russia supports the idea of UN Security Council target sanctions against forces impeding the peace process in Darfur, Russian Presidential Representative for Cooperation with African Countries Mikhail Margelov told Interfax. He is attending a meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council.
"The involvement of groups, which refuse to negotiate with Khartoum, in the peace process should be an urgent step taken by the international community. Russia supports the idea of UN Security Council target sanctions against those who are impeding the peace process in Darfur. Russia is ready to give comprehensive support to this process," he said.
The main task in the Sudanese settlement is the fulfillment of the roadmap proposed by the African Union and supported by UN Security Council Resolution 2046, Margelov said. "A meeting of the presidents of Sudan and South Sudan held in Addis Ababa in September deserves a positive evaluation in this context. The sides signed an important agreement on the security in the border zone and the division of crude production and transportation revenues, bank assets and debts," Margelov said.
They also signed an agreement on the provision of rights of each other's citizens, he noted. "These agreements should now be implemented. Khartoum and Juba should continue to resolve the remaining delimitation problems, such as the status of the Abyei Area and other territorial disputes," Margelov said.
In his opinion, the African Union activity is important for reaching compromises. Permanent members of the UN Security Council are monitoring the negotiations and are ready to influence the side sabotaging the negotiations and the fulfillment of the accords, he said.