(LUXEMBOURG) - The European Union on Monday threatened to impose sanctions against Sudanese who do not cooperate in bringing those accused of war crimes in Darfur to the international court.

EU foreign ministers said the bloc "stands ready to consider measures against individuals for not cooperating with the ICC (International Criminal Court)" if they flout the UN Security Council resolution that obliges them to do so.

Earlier this month ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo implored the UN Security Council to call on Sudan to arrest two Darfur war crimes suspects, Ahmed Haroun and Ali Kosheib. He said he would unveil new evidence next month.

In May 2007, the ICC, the world's first permanent war crimes court, issued arrest warrants for Haroun, Sudan's secretary of state for humanitarian affairs, and Janjaweed militia leader Kosheib.

They are charged with 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including acts of murder, persecution, torture, rape and forcible displacement.

But Khartoum rejects the ICC's jurisdiction, and has made it clear it will not hand over the two men.

The EU ministers, in a statement agreed in Luxembourg, expressed "deep concern over the deterioration of the security situation in Sudan seriously jeopardising the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Darfur".

They emphasised the need to accelerate the deployment of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), which aims to help restore peace and stability in the region. And they called on all parties to commit to an immediate ceasefire.

The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated regime and state-backed Janjaweed militias, fighting for resources and power in one of the most remote and deprived places on earth.

Up to 300,000 people may have died from the combined effects of war, famine and disease, according to the United Nations. Sudan claims the death toll from the war does not exceed 10,000.

General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC)

Text and Picture Copyright 2008 AFP. All other Copyright 2008 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.