UN Security Council for UN forces in Darfur

The UN security council on Saturday called for drawing plans to send a UN force to Darfur district west of Sudan in order to replace the forces of the African Union.

In a statement read by its President, the American ambassador to the UN John Bolton, the UN Security Council called on the UN secretary general to draw an urgent plan including several options with the aim of converting the mission of the African Union in Sudan to the UN.

This plan is due to pursue a "comprehensive and united attitude and to embark mostly on resources available for the African union force and the UN mission in Sudan."

The announcement of such a plan comes after Annan expressed his optimism over the situation in Darfur which has been suffering a most drastic humanitarian crisis. Annan supports the introduction of UN rapid deployment forces to replace the African Union mission in Darfur whose mission expires in March.