Sudan rebels to follow AU talks agenda

Rebel spokesmen said they would raise their objection to the idea of laying down their arms when the talks reached the appropriate point in the agenda, but that for now the negotiations would continue.

They were speaking after the third day of discussions broke up. The talks are due to resume on Thursday, at the Intern-ational Conference Centre in the Nigerian capital Abuja, delegates said.

Sudan's government will accept a larger African Union peacekeeping force in the Darfur region if the troops are used to contain and demobilise rebel forces, the head of Khartoum's team at peace talks said Wednesday.

"They may need more forces besides the protection of the (AU) monitors to protect the cantonment of the rebels, and we agree about that," Agriculture Minister Majzoub al-Khalifa said during AU-sponsored peace talks in the Nigerian capital.

The Khartoum government would retain responsibility for the protection of civilians, he told reporters outside the conference centre where talks to end an 18-month rebel war were stalled on the issues of rebel demobilisation and sending in more AU troops.