RUSSIA, CHINA AND QATAR BLOCKED U.N. SANCTIONS ON MONDAY AGAINST FOUR SUDANESE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ABUSES IN DARFUR BUT THE UNITED STATES SAID IT WOULD FORCE A PUBLIC VOTE ON THE ISSUE, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. THE FOUR MEN, WHITTLED DOWN FROM A LONGER BRITISH LIST, INCLUDE ONE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, ONE PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIA MEMBER, AND TWO REBEL LEADERS, THE FIRST TO BE SLATED FOR SANCTIONS AUTHORIZED BY THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. THE FOUR WERE NOT IDENTIFIED. BOTH THE RUSSIAN AND CHINESE AMBASSADORS TOLD REPORTERS NOW WAS NOT THE TIME TO IMPOSE A TRAVEL BAN OR AN ASSETS FREEZE ON SUDANESE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING PEACE TALKS ON THE ESCALATING DARFUR CONFLICT, HELD IN ABUJA, NIGERIA. THEY DID NOT MAKE CLEAR IF THEY WOULD APPROVE THE EMBARGOES LATER.
