Bush Urges Sudan, Rebels to Cease Fire During Talks

UNITED NATIONS - U.S. President George W. Bush called on the Sudanese government and rebels to observe a cease-fire during peace talks next month, and urged fast action to end what he said was "genocide" in Darfur.

"We expect President Bashir to observe a cease-fire during next month's peace talks and we expect the rebels to do the same," Bush told the U.N. Security Council.

"My nation has labeled what's taking place in Darfur as genocide and when you find genocide it's time to do something about it," he said. "Time is of the essence."

He said the current African Union peacekeeping force of around 7,000 troops was not enough to end the conflict. The U.N. has already authorized an expanded U.N.-African Union force of up to 26,000 peacekeepers.