Sudan urges UN to double South Sudan regional force

Sudan's foreign minister is calling for implementation of the latest agreement to end the civil war in neighboring South Sudan and urging the U.N. Security Council to quickly approve doubling a regional protection force to monitor the accord.

Eldirdiri Mohamed Ahmed told Monday's final session of the General Assembly's ministerial meeting that Sudan hopes rival leaders in South Sudan will "give peace a chance."

He said regional leaders have called for the regional protection force in South Sudan to be doubled from 4 000 to 8 000 soldiers — with Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti and Somalia contributing troops.

Ahmed also cited "a real change in relations" between Sudan and South Sudan, including the possibility of resolving the Abyei border dispute and conflicts in the Sudanese states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.