Representatives of two rebel groups and civil administrators in Darfur signed the declaration at the end of their third meeting held in Tripoli under Colonel Kadhafi's patronage.

In that document, the belligerents reaffirmed their commitment to respect the cease-fire agreements and protocols they signed with the Sudanese government, to co-operate with the region's civil administration and local dignitaries.

Both parties also promised to release all their captives and war prisoners, end of all forms of attacks and to open routes between different urban centres to facilitate the movement of assistance and trade.

The Libyan and Sudanese heads of state also discussed the summit of five African leaders devoted to the crisis in Darfur due to open in the Libyan capital Monday night.

El Bashir commended Colonel Kadhafi for his unrelenting efforts to find a solution to the crisis in Darfur, adding that his efforts had culminated into the signing of the Tripoli II declaration.

Kadhafi and El Bashir also exchanged views on the agenda of the next African Union (AU) to be held in Sirte, Libya next July.

They stressed the need to give particular attention to the Libyan proposals that were adopted by the Abuja summit in January to create a presidential commission ahead of the next summit in Sirte.

Libya proposed the creation of ministries of foreign affairs, defence, foreign trade, transport and telecommunications within the AU Commission.

Tripoli also called for the removal of tariff barriers between AU member states, the unification of all transport and telecommunication links on the continent, and the creation of an African satellite.