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UN holds high-level Darfur talks UN holds high-level Darfur talks
(about 5 hours later)
A meeting convened by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in Ethiopia is to look at new ways to try to solve the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region. A meeting convened by United Nations head Kofi Annan in Ethiopia is to look at new ways to try to solve the crisis in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.
Sudan has refused to allow a UN force to replace the ill-equipped African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur. Sudan has refused to allow a UN force to replace the overstretched and under funded African Union force which has not halted the violence in Darfur.
The UN is now examining ways to provide the AU troops with additional equipment and resources. The UN now wants to help AU troops with more funding and a hybrid force.
Officials from Africa, Europe, China, the US and Russia are gathering in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Diplomats say Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has indicated in private that he might accept the proposals.
This meeting marks the point at which the UN must admit it has failed to persuade the Sudanese government to accept a UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur. Officials from Africa, Europe, China, the United States and Russia are gathering at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.
New proposals The meeting marks the point at which the UN must admit it has failed to persuade the Sudanese government to accept a UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur, says the BBC's Adam Mynott in Addis Ababa.
No objection
Months of very intense diplomatic pressure have shifted the government of Sudan not one millimetre.Months of very intense diplomatic pressure have shifted the government of Sudan not one millimetre.
Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir is resolute, he will not allow a UN force into the troubled western state. Mr Bashir is resolute, he will not allow a UN force into the troubled western state.
Q&A: Darfur peacekeeping So Kofi Annan has called together all the key players to look at new proposals. UN'S THREE-STEP DARFUR PLAN 1) AU $21m support package2) Deploy several hundred soldiers and police3) Hybrid force with UN command and control Q&A: Darfur peacekeeping
Words like pragmatism, flexibility and expedience are now being used. But he does not object to the AU forces being strengthened.
The plan is to beef up the AU force and provide it with extra resources and equipment to turn it from an under-funded and ineffective operation into one that it is hoped will genuinely help the people of Darfur. So Mr Annan has called together all the key players to look at new proposals.
Sudanese troops and rebel movements have intensified fighting recently, adding to the death toll of over 200,000 people in the past three-and-a-half years. Words like pragmatism, flexibility and expedience are now being used and the UN has come up with a three-stage, phased approach to be discussed at the meeting.
First of all the UN will provide the AU with a $21m support package, which is already under way.
Then the UN would deploy several hundred soldiers and police officers to help the 7,000 AU troops in Sudan.
The third step is an AU-UN hybrid peacekeeping force.
African troops would get UN logistical support and there would be substantial UN involvement in the command and control of the peacekeepers.
The BBC's Laura Trevelyan at the UN says that what is being suggested is a special representative to lead the joint force appointed by the UN and the AU.
Escalating violence
Sudan's government says the scale of the problems in Darfur are being exaggerated for political reasons.
Some 2m people have fled their homes in Darfur
It claims it is disarming Arab militias, known as Janjaweed, who have been accused of carrying out genocide on its behalf.
But Sudanese troops and rebel movements have intensified fighting recently, adding to the death toll of over 200,000 people in the past three-and-a-half years.
Two million people have been driven from their homes into camps where they face the constant threat of violent death, rape, hunger and degradation.Two million people have been driven from their homes into camps where they face the constant threat of violent death, rape, hunger and degradation.
Every moment of delay deepens their misery. Neighbouring Chad has declared a state of emergency after the violence in Darfur spilled over the border.
The UN secretary-general has said that the UN is considering stationing observers on Chad's border.
"We are looking at the possibility of putting UN observers or some sort of international presence on the border and working with Chad's government to ensure refugees there are protected and cross-border attacks are minimised," Mr Annan said ahead of the meeting in Addis Ababa.
On Wednesday, Chad's ambassador to Ethiopia accused Sudan of planning to destabilise the entire central African sub region and called for the AU to intervene and condemn Sudan.