20091217

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Security Council members have agreed to impose an arms embargo on Eritrea this month, as well as travel bans and asset freezes for government and military leaders aiding Somali insurgents, diplomats said.

The United States and other council members accuse Eritrea of supplying Islamist rebels with money and weapons in their fight to topple the fragile U.N.-backed transitional government in Somalia, a virtually lawless Horn of Africa nation.

Western diplomats on the 15-nation Security Council said most members of the panel have agreed to support a Ugandan-drafted resolution to punish Eritrea and that they hoped to approve it by next week.

Reuters obtained the latest draft resolution on Wednesday.

In addition to imposing sanctions on Eritrea, the resolution orders Asmara to end all support to "to armed groups and their members, including al Shabaab," which is battling to oust Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the diplomats said they were not expecting a unanimous vote, as Libya has made clear it would vote against the resolution. But they said they were ready to make further revisions to secure Tripoli's vote.

Russia and China, which are generally reluctant to back sanctions, came around after it became clear the overwhelming majority of African Union members support taking the action against Somalia's neighbor, diplomats said.

"We've got a balanced resolution that is tough, which imposes sanctions on Eritrea and the key elements in Eritrea who are supporting the Somali rebels," a diplomat said. "I think we'll get 14 votes."