Russia denies arms supply to Sudan for use in Darfur

Moscow, May 8 (UNI) Russia today denied a report by Amnesty International that it supplied arms to Sudan for use in Darfur in west Sudan, violating the UN ban.

"No Russian arms are shipped to Darfur," Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Russia's military and technical cooperation with other countries is in line with international rules. We fully abide by the provisions of resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, which ban arms shipments to Darfur," the statement said.

A report by Amnesty International aired by the BBC accused that Russia and China violated the embargo and shipped arms to Darfur, reported to be used against civilians.

The report cited statistics of deliveries of arms and military equipments for 2005. China and Russia sold arms worth 24 million dollars and 21 million dollars, respectively.

The report noted that beginning of March 2005, the UN Security Council extended its embargo on arms shipments to all parties to the domestic conflict in Sudan.

RIA Novosti news agency reported Chinese Foreign Ministry also denied the accusations by Amnesty International.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Jiang Yu said the accusations were ungrounded and the country maintained "a responsible approach" to arms sales, dealing with sovereign states, rather than individuals or organizations, the agency reported.

Amnesty International, which has also accused Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Belarus of supplying arms, proposes compiling a list of all supplies banned for Sudan, stationing UN monitors in the country's sea ports and air terminals and suspending all material supplies.

In March 2007, the UN mission accused Sudan's government of orchestrating and taking part in "gross violations" in Darfur and called for urgent international action to protect civilians.

Khartoum has objected to an August 2006 UN resolution that called for a UN mission to replace the ill-equipped and poorly funded 7,000-strong African Union peacekeeping force, currently deployed in the country.

The UN estimates interethnic violence and disease have left 450,000 dead since the latest conflict began in July 2003.

UNI