"Sudan is still in the course of implementing phase two of " Addis Ababa action plan","said Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit on Monday16/4/2007.

Phase three has not even started yet, the minister who is currently accompanying President Hosni Mubarak during a visit here, told MENA.

He praised the Sudanese government for its approval of the formation of a hybrid African Union-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur noting that the force will be deployed within the framework of the third and final phase of the Addis Ababa plan.

Abul Gheit said the Sudanese government's stand conforms to Addis Ababa plan of action that was endorsed in October 2006.

He said phase one of the plan called for the deployment of 250 AU peace troops, phase two covers the deployment of 2,000 personal, whereas phase three stipulates the deployment of a stronger and bigger AU-UN hybrid force of 20,000 military servicemen and 3,000 police officers.

The Sudanese consented to the three phases and made one condition: that the AU be responsible for the composition of the hybrid force, he said.

According to him, under the plan if the AU and UN fail to reach the target number of troops from African countries, they can recruit troops from outside Africa.

As per the plan anything connected with the force from its chain of command to the way it is being run, should be decided by the three parties concerned-Sudan, the AU and the UN- together.

Abul Gheit said Egypt has contributed peace troops to phase one of the plan and has offered to send more troops under phase three.

"We are waiting a response from the UN regarding our offer," he said.

He said the problem of opening Sudanese skies for military helicopters is over for Khartoum has already consented to giving them permission to fly in its air space.

Abul Gheit statements were given on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Egyptian Consulates' new offices in Paris.