The UN has intervened in the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan following a request from the African Union for the Security Council to endorse the demands of its Peace and Security Council for the two sides to cease hostilities, withdraw troops from disputed areas and resume talks within two weeks. A resolution passed by the Council on 2 May described the situation along the border between the two countries as "as serious threat to international peace and security" and called on them inter alia to immediately cease all hostilities, withdraw their forces to their side of the border and unconditionally resume negotiations to be concluded within three months to resolve their differences. The Council also expressed "its intention, in the event that any or all of the parties have not complied with the decisions set forth in this resolution, to take appropriate additional measures" under Article 41 of the charter, which provides for sanctions not involving the use of armed force to be imposed to give effect to its decisions. Whether this will be enough to motivate the two sides to resolve their long-standing and bitter differences remains to be seen. But initial reactions suggest that the North is less happy than the South with the UN's intervention. The South's Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Deng Alor Kual, told the Council that Juba would comply with the resolution and appealed for humanitarian aid for the victims of air and ground attacks. Khartoum's UN ambassador, Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Usman, complained that "it is notable that the resolution has disregarded the continuous aggression by South Sudan against Sudan. Peace…will only be achieved through halting all forms of support and sheltering of proxy rebel and armed groups espoused by South Sudan."