*

Disapproval resolutions filed in House and Senate

*

Sudan's army has accused UAE of giving weapons to RSF

*

Sudan war has killed thousands, famine is looming

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Chris Van

Hollen has introduced legislation seeking to halt American

weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates until the United

States certifies that the UAE is not arming the paramilitary

Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, according to an early

version of his announcement seen by Reuters.

Van Hollen has filed a joint resolution of disapproval in

the Senate, while fellow Democrat Sarah Jacobs has filed one in

the House of Representatives. Their effort is unlikely to win

significant support in Congress as U.S. administrations under

presidents of both parties long have viewed the UAE as a vital

regional security partner, but would draw attention to a

conflict that has become one of the world's worst humanitarian

disasters.

"The UAE is an important partner in the Middle East, but the

United States cannot sit idly by as it aids and abets the

humanitarian disaster in Sudan - we must use our leverage to try

to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution," van Hollen

said in a statement.

U.S. law requires congressional review of major arms deals,

and lets members of the Senate force votes on resolutions of

disapproval that would block such sales. Although the law does

not let House members force such votes, resolutions must pass

both chambers of Congress, and potentially survive a

presidential veto, to go into effect.

No resolution of disapproval has ever both passed Congress

and survived a presidential veto. Such resolutions have at times

led to heated debates that highlighted human rights concerns and

lawmakers' dissatisfaction over weapons sales.

The UAE has long been a major purchaser of U.S. weapons. In

October, the Biden administration announced, for example, that

it had approved a potential sale of GMLRS and ATACMS munitions,

and related support, for $1.2 billion. GMLRS, or Guided Multiple

Launch Rocket System rockets, are made by L3Harris Technologies' ( LHX )

business unit Aerojet Rocketdyne. The long-range ATACMS

are made by Lockheed Martin ( LMT ).

The newly introduced resolutions seek to stop that sale.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, this year recognized the

UAE as a major defense partner, and the Gulf state is host to

the Al Dhafra Air Base with U.S. military aircraft and thousands

of American personnel.

Sudan's army has accused the UAE of providing weapons and

support to the RSF in Sudan's 17-month-old war. The Gulf state

denies the allegations. U.N. sanctions monitors have described

as credible accusations that the UAE had provided military

support to the RSF.

The UAE has denied involvement in military support to any of

Sudan's rival parties.

War erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the

RSF over a transition to free elections, with tens of thousands

of people reported dead. The United Nations has said nearly 25

million people - half of Sudan's population - need aid, famine

is looming and some 8 million people have fled their homes.

"The UAE is one of the biggest outside actors fueling the

violence in Sudan, and yet the U.S. is on the brink of selling

the UAE another $1.2 billion in weapons that could end up in the

hands of the RSF," Jacobs, who met with Sudanese refugees on the

border with Chad this year, said in a statement.