Sudan rejects UN resolution to control peacekeepers in Darfur

The Sudanese government has rejected a UN resolution that would give the world body authority over peacekeepers in the Darfur region.

"The Sudanese people will not consent to any resolution that will violate its sovereignty," the government of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir said in a statement, quoted by the the SUNA official news agency.

Itsaid the resolution was"unjustifiable hostility against Sudan" and called on the Sudanese people to "strengthen further their cohesion and ranks and prepare to face any development."

Earlier, the UN Security Council voted Thursday to create a United Nations peacekeeping force in Sudan's Darfur region, but said it would not deploy ituntil the Khartoum government gave its consent.

Sudan has refused to allow UN peacekeeperstojoin or replacean African Union force in Darfur, the troubled western region where fighting between militants, militias and government forces have killed more than 200,000 people in the past few years.

The African Union troops have beenlargely ineffective in quelling the conflict. The AU has endorsed the idea of handing over responsibility to the UN no later than the end ofSeptember, when its mandate and funding expire.

The UN Security Councilpassed the U.S. andBritish-draftedresolutionby a vote of12-0, with China, Russia and Qatar abstaining.

"While it is preferable to have unanimity, we are not going to sacrifice the need to take a stronger hand to try and stop the genocide in Sudan just because we can't get unanimity," U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told reporters.

'Worst humanitarian crisis' in world

The World Health Organization has warned that a major health catastrophe could erupt if the necessary funds and supplies are not made available to fight disease and malnutrition in the region.

The United Nations describes Darfur as the "worst humanitarian crisis" in the world.

The conflict between militants of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)againstthe government and the Khartoum-backedArab militia known as the Janjaweedhas killed more than 200,000 people.The Janjaweed is said to be responsible for most of the rape, pillaging and murder in the region.

More than 200,000 have fled to neighbouring Chad. Aid officials estimate two million people have been displaced from their homes in three years of conflict.

The government of Sudan and the SLA, the largest Darfur rebel group, signed a peace treaty in May, but international observers say thefighting has intensifiedsince the fragile pact was struck.

Ahead of the Security Council's vote Thursday, Darfur rebel groupssaid Sudanese planes and soldiers had launched fresh attacks onvillages in the western region.