London - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on Wednesday he backed the proposed deployment of the United Nations peacekeepers in strife-torn Darfur, but warned that Sudanese government consent was vital first.

Speaking after talks in London with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Wen said China was worried by developments in the western Sudanese region.

The United Nations security council adopted a resolution two weeks ago urging the deployment of up to 20 000 UN peacekeepers in Darfur to take over from cash-strapped African Union forces sent under a peace deal in May.

But the Sudanese government has consistently rejected the option and instead dispatched its own forces to the region, sparking fresh clashes with rebel factions.

Provided humanitarian assistance

"China is very much concerned about the stability in Darfur, and we hope that stability will be restored in that region as soon as possible," said Wen.

"We also hope that people in that region will be lifted out of hardship as soon as possible.

"China, within its capacity, has provided humanitarian assistance to the Darfur region and of course, we support the international decision to send in peacekeepers.

"However, we hope that in order to have an effective implementation of the operation by the peacekeepers, consent from the Sudanese government and from the AU are needed."

Three and half years of civil war

Wen said China was providing assistance "selflessly" to African countries because they too had suffered "aggression by Western powers" and had similar hardships.

The combined effect of war and famine has left up to 300 000 people dead in Darfur and displaced 2.5 million in three and half years of civil war pitting the Sudanese government and allied militias against ethnic minority rebels.

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