UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Monday that the Sudanese government has confirmed its agreement on the entire heavy support package of the UN assistance to the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur.

"The secretary-general is encouraged by this development and intends to move expeditiously with the deployment, in close cooperation with the African Union," said a statement issued by his press office.

Ban called on Sudan to urgently provide the land and other facilities necessary for the deployment of the heavy support package, including permission to explore for water and meet all operational requirements.

He also urged the troops and police providers as well as all donors to contribute generously towards the earliest possible strengthening of the peacekeeping operation in Darfur. At the same time, he urged that hostilities on the ground be stopped without any further delay.

Earlier in the day, the UN chief received a letter from Sudan's UN ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem that confirmed Sudan's approval of "the helicopters component" of the heavy support package for the AU force.

On Monday, the secretary-general and the AU chairperson, Alpha Oumar Konar, also started high-level consultations on Darfur.

Source: Xinhua