By Claudia Parsons
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Darfur is at a crossroads after last month's start of peace talks, and the Sudanese government must allow timely deployment of a U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force to avoid worsening violence, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a report on Wednesday.
The peace talks in Libya launched last month presented an opportunity that must be seized by all parties, Ban said in his latest monthly report on implementing the July Security Council resolution authorizing the U.N.-African Union force.
The report warned that preparations for the joint UNAMID peacekeeping force to take over from a hard-pressed African Union mission at the end of this year were being hampered by poor security and other delays.
"The situation in Darfur is at a crossroads," Ban said. "I am concerned that the security incidents over the past month and the continuing delays in the deployment of UNAMID could lead to a further deterioration in the situation on the ground."
Ban also said the force urgently needed helicopters. No country has offered the 24 transport and attack helicopters needed to help the planned force of up to 26,000 troops operate in an area the size of France.
"Without these critical units, the mission will not be able to implement its mandate," Ban said in the report.
He said the speed and effectiveness of the UNAMID deployment also depended on Sudan's government cooperating to allow United Nations' aircraft operations and agreeing to the composition of the UNAMID force.
Ban said the United Nations and the African Union had presented a list of proposed troop contributors to Khartoum on October 2 but had yet to hear back from Khartoum on it.
The U.N. resolution said the force would be "predominantly" African and Khartoum has been resisting most non-African participation in what Western diplomats see as foot-dragging.
"(African Union) Chairperson (Alpha Oumar) Konare and I feel strongly that this package of troop contributors fulfils the stated priorities and any diminishment of its capacity would put the mission at risk," Ban said.
"I look forward to the government of Sudan's positive response on UNAMID's force composition because it is now critical to move towards deployment without further delay."
Efforts to reach a political solution in Darfur suffered another setback last month after several rebel groups boycotted peace talks in Libya.
The bloodshed in Darfur has lasted 4-1/2 years and, according to international groups, cost an estimated 200,000 lives. Khartoum says only 9,000 people have died since rebels took up arms against the government in 2003 and accuses critics of exaggerating the crisis.
Ban said the start of peace talks represented a "unique opportunity" to end the suffering of the Darfur people and deployment of a robust peacekeeping force would help.
"However, it is only through political dialogue and inclusive consultations that the parties will be able to reach a viable, sustainable and comprehensive solution to the crisis there," he said.
(Editing by Vicki Allen)
