Sudan announced on Saturday that the file of deploying UN peacekeeping forces in the country's western region of Darfur had been closed.

Sudanese Minister of State for Information and Communications Farh Agar made the announcement to reporters at the Sudanese Media Center.

"Sudan has surmounted the stage of whether to let in the international forces", Agar told the press.

He said that "the United Nations is now considering how to support the African forces in Darfur while the Sudanese government is talking about increasing and supporting the African forces and reinforcing them with troops from Islamic and Arab countries."

Meanwhile, Sudanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs AliAhmed Karti also said that the Sudanese government was due to sign new protocol with the United Nations and the African Union (AU) to absorb the new plan for Darfur.

"The three-month mandate of AU forces in Darfur is not enough to complete proposals stated in the plan, but it could be helpful for finalizing a resolution in the region," said Karti.
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It was reported that the UN and AU have presented a plan of sending UN experts and technicians besides financial assistance to the AU forces, which have been accepted by the Sudanese government.

In view of Sudan's persistence in its refusal of deploying international peacekeeping forces in Darfur, the AU decided last month to extend the mandate of its 7800-strong forces in Darfur to the end of this year.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2006)