BRAZZAVILLE, Congo, Sep 4, 2004 (PANA) — Nigerian head of State and current chair of the African Union, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday declared the "willingness" of the continental body to provide more protection forces and observers to the Darfur region "if solicited".

"The African Union is ready to send more protection troops and observers to Darfur when requested. We are prepared to do it," Obasanjo told reporters upon arrival at Maya Maya international airport in Brazzaville.

Speaking in the presence of his Congolese counterpart, Denis Sassou Nguesso, also current chairman of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECOCAS), Obasanjo cited that the AU already has 300 Rwandan and Nigerian soldiers and 176 observers in western Sudan.

"Our mandate as African heads of state is to protect Africans wherever they are," he pointed out.

Obasanjo further said while in Brazzaville he will invite President Sassou Nguesso to join the ongoing Abuja talks on the Darfur crisis.

Both heads of state and a DR Congo delegation led by foreign minister Ramazani Baya went into closed door discussions on African issues.

Asked about the results of the inquiry in the massacre of 150 Congolese of Rwandan origin at the Gatumba transit camp in Burundi, Obasanjo just said, "the international community and the AU have already identified the culprits".

However, a diplomat from Congo-Brazzaville speaking under anonymity, regretted the absence the of Burundese representative.

"Burundi, as DR Congo just did, should take advantage of the AU President Obasanjo’s presence to send a delegation to the talks still underway in Brazzaville," the diplomat told PANA.