"We strongly hope that the negotiations which will resume in Abuja on June 10... will quickly achieve success," the pan-African body's secretary-general told international donors here, appealing for assistance for an expansion of the AU's peace mission in Darfur.

The talks were suspended in December amid persistent allegations of truce violations on both sides and had been set to resume on May 30, but AU officials said logistical problems had caused the brief delay.

"Darfur is an important challenge for the AU but also for the rest of the international community," said Konare, who is co-chairing the meeting at the AU headquarters here with his United Nations counterpart Kofi Annan.

Annan, speaking to senior officials from NATO, the European Union, the United States, Britain and other collective and individual donors, said expanding the AU mission was critical to ensuring stability in Darfur.

"The situation remains unacceptable on the ground," he said. "The violence is targetted at aid workers (but) where the AU is deployed these things do not happen."

The AU mission, known as AMIS, is monitoring a shaky April 2004 ceasefire between Khartoum, government-backed militias and the two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

The AU is seeking 460 million dollars (365 million euros) in cash, military equipment and logistical support to boost its current 2,700-strong truce monitoring operation to more than 7,700 by September.

NATO, the EU and individual members of those organizations have already indicated their willingness to provide logistical, technical, training support and materiel for the expanded mission.

"Although operating under particularly difficult conditions, AMIS has done remarkable work on the ground," Konare said, adding that to carry on and increase its efficiency the AU needed help.

The 53-member AU has already set out a lengthy wishlist for potential contributions, including 116 armored personnel carriers, 24 armored ambulances, maintenance and recovery vehicles, 10 transport and six attack helicopters.

It also wants seven fixed-wing aircraft, including passenger and cargo planes and more than 850 assorted heavy, medium and lightweight transport trucks, four-wheel drive pick-ups, vans and regular cars.

In addition, the AU says it needs a huge amount of communications and office equipment, including 280 computers, 200 copiers, printers and cameras and 134 global positioning devices, according to the list.

Annan said he looked forward to hearing specific pledges but he stressed that lasting peace could not be achieved without a peace settlement.

"AMIS is necessary to enhance stability but not to have peace, this can only be done by political negotiation," Annan said, lauding the Nigerian government for its hosting of the talks. "The Abuja negotiation is the only game in town."

Annan will be travelling to Sudan on Friday to meet with Sudanese President Omar el-Beshir and First Vice President Ali Osman Taha, who is attending the meeting in Addis, after which he will travel to Darfur.

He will also visit the southern town of Rumbek for talks with ex-rebel leader John Garang whose Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) signed a peace deal with Khartoum in January that is hoped can be a model for Darfur.

The two-year old conflict in Darfur has killed between 180,000 and 300,000 people and displaced more than two million and is considered to be one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.