The U.N. Security Council voted to send a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force, as Bashir’s visit to China delayed.

The U.N. Security Council on Monday unanimously voted to send a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force to the disputed Sudanese territory of Abyei.

The force will monitor the withdrawal of north Sudan troops from Abyei as well as human rights in the region.

Moreover, a meeting between President Hu Jintao and Sudan leader Omar al-Bashir, who is accused of war crimes, was cancelled Monday after Bashir's arrival in Beijing was delayed, the Chinese government said.

Bashir had been due in China early in the day, with rights groups outraged that Beijing would host a man wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity during Sudan's civil war.

Chinese foreign ministry staff told media that Bashir's plane was "delayed" and the afternoon's activities cancelled, referring to a meeting with Hu.

They later said the Sudanese leader was now expected to arrive in Beijing at 3:30a.m on Tuesday (1930 GMT Monday) and that the talks with Hu had been set back to Wednesday morning.

Sudan leader Omar al-Bashir

The Sudanese foreign ministry said Bashir, who had been attending a counterterrorism summit in Tehran, had to reroute his trip and had flown back to Iran.

Bashir was due to stay in China -- a key supporter of the regime in Khartoum -- until Thursday, although it was unclear whether the delay would now prolong his visit.

The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan's western Darfur region, where about 300,000 people have died since 2003.

He is the first sitting head of state to be targeted by an ICC warrant.

"In recent years President Bashir has made many visits to other countries and was warmly welcomed," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.

Amnesty International said earlier this month China risked becoming a "safe haven for alleged perpetrators of genocide" if it hosted Bashir.

Bashir was also slated to hold talks with other top Chinese officials.

Topics on the agenda were likely to include possible fresh aid to Sudan and problems in Abyei, a disputed border area claimed by Bashir's Khartoum-based northern Sudan regime and the rival government in the south.

Khartoum government troops occupied Abyei on May 21 and tens of thousands of people have since fled to the south.
The north and south reached an accord last Monday under which border areas will be demilitarized.