U.S. welcomes Sudan plan to disarm militias

Monday June 21st, 2004.

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2004 (AP) -- The State Department welcomed on Monday a pledge by Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir to mobilize the Sudanese armed forces to disarm militias responsible for uprooting more than 1 million people in western Sudan .

The Sudanese military has been supporting the militias since the start of an anti-government insurrection 16 months ago.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said both the government and the rebels should abide by a cease-fire that was signed April 8. He said the U.S. has been helping facilitate the arrival of outside monitors to the area to monitor the cease-fire.

Because of the difficulties in sending assistance overland, the U.S. has been using aircraft, which is far more costly.

The fifteenth U.S. relief flight arrived in recent days carrying food, Boucher said.