The Sudanese government reiterated on Tuesday that it is opposed to deploying UN peacekeeping forces in its Darfur region, as the step could worsen the situation there.

Deploying UN forces would only "exacerbate the situation" in Darfur, as it is not agreed upon by different parties in the region, Sudanese Culture Minister Mohamed Yusif Abdallah told reporters in Geneva.

The official said, however, that the presence of African Union (AU) force in Darfur should be strengthened.

A stronger African Union force in Darfur could help consolidate peace within a year and allow refugees to return home, he said.

Sudan has rejected a UN Security Council resolution to send more than 20,000 UN troops to Darfur to replace the currently 7, 000-strong AU force, which has been unable to contain violence and prevent what the UN says is a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The only problem with the AU operation, which is due to wind up at the end of the year, was that it lacked resources, Abdallah said.

"We believe if the peace process is strengthened, within a year things would get completely normal and people would go back to their original places," he said.

Sudanese officials have said a UN presence in Darfur would amount to an invasion by the West.

The Sudanese government last week expelled the top UN envoy for Sudan Jan Pronk, who accused Khartoum of violating the Abuja accord with renewed aerial bombing and by mobilizing militias accused of atrocities.

Abdallah said, however, that Pronk had a "one-sided and imbalanced view."

More than 200,000 people have reportedly been killed and at least 2 million driven from their homes since the start of fighting in Darfur in 2003.

The conflict has pitted mostly non-Arab rebels against the Arab- dominated government. There has also been fighting between different rebel groups.

Source: Xinhua