U.N. Security Council failed to order Sudan to reverse its decision to expel 13 international aid groups from the country amid disagreement between permanent members, according to news reports on Saturday. France had drafted a statement urging Khartoum to reverse its decision on the NGOs, but Britain's U.N. ambassador John Sawers said one of the five permanent members--the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China--had blocked it. He left no doubt he was referring to China.
Western diplomats said the 15-member council had only agreed to express their "concern" about the situation in Sudan during discussions Friday, but were unable to agree to a joint statement.
"One delegation insisted on a reference, which we thought was unwarranted and not relevant, to the ICC decision," he said. "I think the Russians would have been able to agree to a reasonable statement."
China says it wants the council to use its power to halt the ICC case against Bashir. Russia is with China, but Britain, France and the United States oppose deferring the proceedings.
The Khartoum government announced it would expel the agencies after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity carried out in Darfur, western Sudan.
"There won't be a statement," Sawers said after the closed-door meeting. Aid groups condemned the United Nation's inaction as "grotesque."
"The Security Council should condemn the fact that an indicted war criminal has deliberately put yet more lives at risk by expelling aid workers," said Richard Dicker of Human Rights Watch.
"This is no time for the council to debate letting Bashir off the hook for crimes against humanity. That is simply grotesque."