As talks aimed at peace in Darfur got off to a faltering start in Libya at the weekend, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown threatened new sanctions against Sudan if the talks did not produce a lasting ceasefire.

After key rebel groups from Darfur failed to attend the talks, the BBC and the Associated Press reported that United Nations and African Union envoys rebranded them as the beginning of a process of "consultations" which would lead to negotiations later.

Brown responded with a televised statement from London on Sunday night, in which he said that "this is a critical and decisive moment" for Darfur.

He appealed to "all parties" to join the talks, applauded the Sudanese government for declaring a ceasefire and called on all parties to join it.

"I will call on the UN to speed up the deployment of forces of the AU and the UN in Darfur," he added, "but of course if parties do not come to the ceasefire, then there is a possibility that we will impose further sanctions on the government of Sudan."

He also called UN member states to provide specialist help to the hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force, especially helicopters and ground transport.