KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Sudan's foreign minister said yesterday foreign military intervention to end the Darfur crisis was unlikely and vowed his government would meet UN Security Council demands to end the region's violence.

Mustafa Osman Ismail's comments followed the UN Security Council's passing of a resolution last week giving Sudan 30 days to curb pro-government Arab militias blamed for the violence in Darfur or face diplomatic and economic penalties.

The militias, called the Janjaweed, have been blamed for violence that has killed 30,000 people, forced a million from their homes and left an estimated 2.2 million in urgent need of relief aid.

No Western government has threatened to invade Sudan over the Darfur crisis, but UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has mentioned the possibility of such intervention since it became clear the Khartoum government was failing to curb the 18-month conflict.

France has deployed a small force along Chad's border with Darfur to stop the Janjaweed from crossing over.

Ismail said foreign powers, particularly the United States, are unlikely to send forces to Sudan, fearing a repeat of military experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

"America has learned their lesson in Iraq and understands the consequences of acting outside the international body in the past," said Ismail in an apparent reference to Washington's decision to invade Iraq last year without a UN mandate.

"So the Americans are keen to implement their agenda through the United Nations at the moment."

In Washington, US President George W Bush issued a new call for peace in Sudan and an end to Arab militia violence in Darfur.

Bush spoke after signing a US$417.5 billion wartime defence bill, of which US$95 million is allocated to famine relief and humanitarian assistance.

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Feeding the multitude

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