Rights group says EU must end rhetoric and act

The European Union has been accused of delaying the tough action against Sudanthat was promised by leaders including Tony Blair and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel.

In a letter to EU foreign ministers ahead of a meeting in Brussels next Monday, the European director of Human Rights Watch, Lotte Leicht, urged the EU to "translate rhetoric into effective action".

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She said Europe should no longer hide behind the UN by "passing the buck" to the Security Council, which has failed to impose individually targeted sanctions against any senior Sudanese policymakers.

According to sources in Brussels, the draft conclusions of Monday's meeting will for the first time this year refrain from mentioning Darfur sanctions, which many believe is the only way to pressure the Sudanese government. "This flies in the face of the policy to build pressure for tougher action," said one source.

Leading European writers on 24 March, in a letter to The Independent coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the EU, called on Europe to take action to stop the killings and human rights abuses in Darfur.

Human Rights Watch is calling for the immediate imposition of EU visa bans and travel restrictions against individuals involved in serious human rights abuses, and the freezing of their assets.