World powers to press Sudan on Darfur UN force

BRUSSELS, July 18 (Reuters) World powers will press Sudan today to accept a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur to replace an African Union force that has been unable to stem the violence.

Sudan is set to reject the move once more.

The United Nations and aid agencies will also press donors at talks in Brussels between UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the EU, the United States, and Sudan to finance the AU force for a few more months before a transition to the UN.

The cash-strapped African Union's 7,000-strong force has been unable to stop the violence Washington called genocide. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and 2.5 million forced in exile, in three years of fighting in lawless Sudan.

The UN the European Union and the United States have long been pressing Khartoum to accept the world organisation take over the mission in an effort to stop the violence.

''A UN operation is the only viable and realistic option in Darfur in the long term,'' the European Union said on the eve of the talks.

''The important thing is that we find the right possibility for the AU and Sudan to come to the UN'', EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner stressed.

''This is exactly what we all want, what is necessary. I hope this conference can contribute to it,'' she told Reuters.

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