[1] The security council remained concerned about the humanitarian crisis and human rights abuses, including attacks on civilians which put thousands of lives at risk.

It condemned such abuses by all parties involved in the conflict, particularly forced displacements, rapes and ethnic violence carried out by the Janjaweed against civilians.

The preamble of the resolution also welcomed the leadership of the African Union, and a joint communiqué issued by the Sudanese government and Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 3 July 2004.

[4] Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the council called upon the Sudanese government to fulfil its commitments made in the communiqué, including lifting restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to co-operate with an independent investigation into human rights violations, and to resume dialogue with dissident groups in Darfur, particularly the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A).

The resolution demanded that Sudan disarm the Janjaweed and bring their leaders to trial, threatening further measures in the event of non-compliance by the Sudanese government.