Sudan hints at Darfur power share

Sudanese delegate Mustafa Osman Ismail speaking after the summit

Sudan's government has conceded that the best solution to the bitter conflict in Darfur may be to allow the region to run its own internal affairs.

The Sudanese stance emerged at a summit hosted by Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi and also attended by leaders from Nigeria, Egypt and Chad.

Sudan is facing international pressure to disarm pro-government militias that have terrorised Darfur's population.

But delegates said sanctions against Sudan would not help solve the crisis.

Some 70,000 have died as a result of Darfur's conflict - many starving or succumbing to illness, the UN says.

Humanitarian disaster

The fighting began more than a year ago when rebel groups began attacking government targets, complaining that the region was being neglected by the central government and that the authorities were oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.

The rebellion sparked a crackdown on the civilian population by regular troops and militia called Janjaweed, leading to what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

DARFUR CONFLICT More than 1.5m displaced About 70,000 dead since February 2003 More at risk from disease, starvation and lack of aid Arab militias accused of ethnic cleansing Sudan blames rebels for starting conflict What is genocide? Q&A: Has security improved?

More than a million people have since fled their homes and the summit in Tripoli closed with an emphasis on getting aid to the refugees.

UN Security Council resolutions have called on the Sudanese government to stop the violence so that humanitarian aid can reach those who need it.

Egyptian presidential spokesman Maged Abdel Fattah said that instead of putting pressure on Sudan or threatening sanctions, "we should all try to help Sudan to implement its obligations in accordance with resolutions."

The BBC's Mike Donkin in Tripoli says the meeting, on the face of it, produced real signs of movement to end the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

A Sudanese government delegate said that the summit had agreed that a federal Sudan might offer the best hope for a solution.

That way, the Darfur region would have its own governor and parliament, our correspondent notes.

The summit also gave its backing to peace talks between Khartoum and rebels based in Darfur, which are due to resume on 21 October.

The talks were held late at night, after the leaders had broken their daily fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Journalists were barred from the meeting, which was convened and chaired by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, clad in brightly-coloured African robes.

Deployment delays

Speaking before the summit, Libyan Foreign Minister Abdul Rahman Sharkum told the BBC: "We are going to accelerate and to facilitate the process of peace and the negotiation between all sides and also to find a way for more troops, African troops to come to Darfur on the ground."

Around a million people have been left homeless by the fighting

The African Union hopes to have a 4,500-strong force in place by the end of November, but a lack of funds has delayed the deployment of troops. About 300 unarmed Nigerian and Rwandan troops are currently in place.

Mr Gaddafi was also due to meet two Sudanese rebel groups separately to hear their views on Darfur.

"We think Libya can play a very vital role," said Tag el-Din Bashir Nyam, a member of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

"[He] wants to listen directly to us so he can take some kind of an initiative."