Bush says Sudan must make peace

South Sudanese say the North is exploiting the South

US President George W Bush says Sudanese Government must accept that it can not win the country's civil war and must seek peace.

It must accept that it cannot win the war... It must seek peace.

George W Bush

In a statement, President Bush said Khartoum should stop interfering with food deliveries and attacking civilians.

Mr Bush also said that he had asked the former American senator, John Danforth, to continue serving as US envoy to Sudan.

Mr Danforth issued a report earlier this month calling for a major push to end the civil war in Sudan, which pits the government in the mainly Muslim north against rebels in the mainly Christian and animist south.

Two million killed

"We must see deeds, not just words," Mr Bush said in a written statement released by the White House.

"The government of Sudan cannot make empty promises while continuing to wage war against its own people."

The strife has killed 2 million people and uprooted 4 million more in the North African country.

The US has had difficult relations with the Khartoum government

"It must stop interfering with food deliveries, " added Mr Bush.

"It must stop attacking civilians. It must honor fully its commitments to Danforth.

"It must accept that it cannot win the war.

"It must seek peace."

Mr Danforth, who helped forge a cease-fire, this month wrote a report calling for a "major push" to end the civil war.

He dismissed the idea of secession for southern Sudan and recommended that Khartoum share oil revenues with its foes.

The United States also says it will back Kenyan-led efforts to end the civil war and commit money and people to help through a regional conflict resolution body called the Intergovernmental Authority for Development or IGAD.