UNITED NATIONS, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Monday, extending the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Sudan for six months, until the end of October.

    In the text, the 15-member council reaffirmed its commitment to "the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of the Sudan," and welcomed the progress in implementing a comprehensive peace agreement reached in 2005.

    The council called on parties to the peace agreement to "accelerate urgently progress on implementing all their commitments."

    It requested the UN chief to appoint "urgently" a new special envoy for the country and to report to the council every three months on the work of the UN Mission in Sudan.

    The UN Security Council established the UN mission with its unanimous adoption of resolution 1590 on March 24, 2005, with a mandate to enforce the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. ¡¡