With China and Russia joining the growing calls for a halt to the growing border conflict, the 15-member council gave emphatic backing to African Union efforts to halt violence and get peace negotiations started.
Russia and China had opposed talk of sanctions during negotiations on the US-drafted resolution which calls on the neighbors to “immediately cease all hostilities” and withdraw troops to their own territory.
Resolution 2046 says they must give a written commitment to halt fighting within 48 hours to theAfrican Union and the Security Council.
The council ordered the two sides to start peace talks within two weeks under the auspices of African Union mediators.
The resolution threatens “additional measures” under Article 41 of the UN Charter — which allows for non-military sanctions — if either side fails.
“The current conflict between Sudan and South Sudan is on the verge of becoming a full scale and sustained war,” US ambassador Susan Rice told the council.