LUXEMBOURG, June 16 (Reuters) - The European Union warned Sudan on Monday of possible EU sanctions if it fails to cooperate on war crimes but stopped short of the immediate action demanded by rights activists.

Foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg warned of specific EU sanctions against individuals instead of repeating warnings of possible sanctions via the United Nations, which have been opposed by China.

"The (EU) council stands ready to consider measures against individuals responsible for not-cooperating with the ICC (International Criminal Court)," should they continue to disregard their obligations under a U.N. resolution, ministers said in a statement agreed on Monday.

The ministers stopped short of giving instructions to EU experts to draw up sanctions that could be imposed, after France and Spain argued a step-by-step approach, EU diplomats said.

Experts estimate some 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been forced from their homes in five years of ethnic and political conflict in Darfur. Khartoum says 10,000 people have been killed. (Reporting by Ingrid Melander and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

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