The United Nations has set up a team of experts in conflict mediation who can deploy quickly to global hotspots with advice on power sharing, constitution drafting, security, justice and human rights.

Sudan’s government committed to a ceasefire in Darfur at the start of peace talks, but many rebels boycotted the UN-sponsored negotiations.

Negotiators moved to lower expectations ahead of the opening of the Darfur peace talks today, with almost none of the key rebel leaders present to negotiate an agreement with the Sudanese government.

Sudan will announce a ceasefire at the start of peace talks with rebels on Saturday aimed at ending the four and a half year conflict in Darfur, Sudan's UN ambassador said.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir today announced that new peace talks to end the four-year conflict in Darfur will start October 27 in Libya.

ONE of the biggest remaining Darfur rebel alliances yesterday said it would respect a ceasefire and was ready to resume peace talks with Sudan’s government.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir today rejected the deployment of UN troops in Darfur, saying they were not required and that African Union troops could maintain order in the war-wracked region of western Sudan.

The United Nations and African Union envoys for Sudan agreed to work “hand-in-hand” to try to bring all the warring parties to the peace table and convince them there is no military solution to the Darfur conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people.

Europe’s tortuous efforts to pull together contributions for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon could edge forward tomorrow when EU diplomats meet to coordinate positions after Italy’s conditional offer to lead the force.

Sweden has invited 60 countries and aid agencies to a donors’ conference aimed at helping Lebanon rebuild homes, roads and lives.

An Irish diplomat has been appointed head of a key taskforce on United Nations reform, it was confirmed today.

The new UN Human Rights Council offers a “great new chance” for the United Nations to renew its struggle for global human rights, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today.

The US Defence Department yesterday identified the three Guantanamo detainees who committed suicide, saying one had ties to al-Qaida, another fought for the Taliban and a third had been cleared for transfer to another country.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to hold face-to-face talks with UN secretary general Kofi Annan in New York early next month, it emerged tonight.

In a widely expected vote, the UN General Assembly has approved a recommendation from its main budget committee to block reform proposals that would have given Secretary-General Kofi Annan more budget power.