US threatens sanctions on Sudanese blocking democracy return

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States is urging rapid progress from military to civilian rule in Sudan and threatening sanctions on anyone impeding the country’s transition to democracy. U.S. deputy ambassador Richard Mills told the U.N. Security Council Tuesday that the U.S. supports a joint effort by the U.N., African Union and eight-nation regional group IGAD to facilitate Sudanese-led talks to transition to a “civilian-led democracy.”  He encouraged Sudanese civilians and military to use this process to move quickly to adopt a framework for a civilian-led transitional government. Sudan plunged into turmoil after an October military coup upended its short-lived transition to democracy.