The United States dropped the word "sanctions" from its draft resolution regarding Sudan at the UN Security Council on Thursday, but insisted on maintaining the threat of economic action if it doesn't disarm militias in the Darfur.

U.S. diplomats had been working in the Security Council for a resolution that would threaten sanctions if Sudan doesn't stop the violence.




Countries such as Egypt and Algeria had threatened to block the resolution, saying the Sudanese government needs time to disarm the militias in Darfur.

The change in wording was intended to make the resolution more palatable to the 15-member Security Council.

Algerian Ambassador Abdallah Baali said the resolution would be put to a vote by the end of the week, possibly even later Thursday.

"At first glance, we feel that we are more comfortable with this text than we were with the other versions," Baali said.

U.S. Ambassador John Danforth has said the important thing was the implicit threat of consequences, not the wording of the resolution.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in Accra, Ghana, for a summit of African leaders, appealed for help in the Darfur region and for refugees who have fled to camps in the neighbouring country of Chad.

Fighting since February 2003 has driven about a million people from their homes. More than two million more are short of food and medical help.

"The secretary general has been appealing to governments worldwide to contribute or increase their financial support to this appeal," said Marie Okabe, a UN spokesperson.

The UN has received $158 million US of the $349 million pledged to humanitarian agencies, "which means that $191 million are still required to allow the UN and humanitarian partners to carry out its assistance program," said Okabe.

Germany and the Netherlands both said they would increase their contributions to Darfur reconstruction.

Two groups of African rebels began fighting for more land and resources in February 2003. An Arab militia known as Janjaweed then began a campaign to drive the blacks out of the region.

The Sudanese government has been accused of supporting the Janjaweed. Khartoum denies the charge.