Darfur Peace Mission

Sudan's UN Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad told DPA news service that his government endorses the deployment, which came in the form of a resolution adopted in a 15-0 vote by the council on Tuesday.

"We support this resolution and the rejuvenation of peace talks," the ambassador said. "Sudan will be a partner in this process and we're taken onboard."

The force, once fully deployed, would be the largest-ever UN peacekeeping operation.

"Historic and unprecedented"

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the force's approval an "historic and unprecedented" decision to end the conflict, in which more than 300,000 people have been killed and some 2 million displaced since 2003.

Britain and France, both permanent Security Council members who were very much involved in reaching an agreement, also welcomed the adoption of the resolution.

"We must ensure that a large, robust, effective and coherent [hybrid] force deploys to Darfur in the coming months, to protect civilians, to prevent armed attacks, from any quarter, to give hope and security to the people of Darfur," Britain's outgoing UN Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry told reporters.

In Paris, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that the resolution "brings very great hope for Darfur" and added: "It is now up to us to make good on that hope."

No more German troops

Germany, however, will not be contributing ground troops to the UN-mandated force, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday.

"Essentially, Africans want to take on this difficult task themselves," Steinmeier said while in he Nigerian capital Abuja on a visit to West Africa. "That is a positive development."

The German military currently has some 75 observers in southern Sudan and can deploy up to 200 soldiers for the logistical support of the AU mission in Darfur if necessary.

Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Steinmeier have in the past rejected a participation of German ground forces in a peacekeeping mission in Sudan, referring to the large number of foreign missions currently underway.

New peace talks

A new round of peace talks is scheduled to begin this weekend in Tanzania. Khartoum and African rebels signed a Darfur peace agreement in 2005 in Arusha, Nigeria. But its terms have not been fully implemented and a ceasefire regularly broken.

The UN has imposed an arms embargo and a travel and diplomatic ban on some Sudanese officials for failing to end the Darfur killing.

The United States has enacted additional sanctions on oil investments and military operations to pressure the Sudanese government to allow the deployment of the force and take steps to end the violence.

"We welcome the United Nations Security Council's unanimous passing of Resolution 1769, reaffirming the international commitment to a lasting political solution and sustained security in Darfur," US State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said. "We call on the government of Sudan and all rebel groups to immediately cease hostilities in Darfur and pursue a political settlement ­ under UN and AU leadership that results in a sustainable peace in Sudan."

Predominantly African peace force

Sudan and the 15-nation council agreed that the joint operation, a so-called hybrid force, will have "a predominantly African character and the troops should, as far as possible, be sourced from African countries," the adopted resolution said.

US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad warned the Sudanese government that any attempts to block the deployment will result in the US taking unilateral or multilateral sanctions against it.

"All eyes are on Sudan and we look to the government to do the right thing and pursue the path of peace," Khalilzad said.

The peacekeeping headquarters should be in place in Darfur before the end of the year, with preparations for setting up the command and control structure to start as early as October.

The force will have 20,000 UN and African Union troops and up to 4,000 police personnel.

The force will be deployed for an initial 12 months to support "an early and effective" implementation of the 2005 peace deal. It will incorporate the 7,000 African troops already operating in Darfur.