President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, who is also the head of the current session of the African Union, urged that Egypt takes part in the Abuja negotiations, Awwad said.

President Hosni Mubarak gave instructions to nominate a senior Egyptian delegate to take part in the round of talks to start in Abuja on 1 June, the spokesman said.

"We need the experience, wisdom and vision of President Mubarak on ending the crisis in Darfur, Obasanjo said, addressing the closed-door session of the seven-way African summit.

In his word to the African summit President Mubarak underlined three main points namely to solve the Darfur crisis within an African framework, to respond to the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and thirdly to make good preparations conducive to holding the fourth round of negotiations in Abuja as soon as possible, the spokesman said.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir called for resuming Abuja negotiations for 2005 to be the year of comprehensive peace in Sudan, the Egyptian presidential spokesman said.

Al-Bashir expressed thanks to President Mubarak for Egypt's support for Sudan since the outbreak of the Darfur crisis in 2003.

He hailed Egypt's legal support to enable Sudan comply with its commitments under UNSC Resolution 1593 by holding trials for those involved in genocide crimes and grave violations against human rights in Darfur before Sudanese courts.

Chadian President Idriss Deby pledged to continue his efforts to contain the crisis in Darfur.