"The government of Sudan may need more assistance from the AU, and it's our job to facilitate it," said Straw, who was planning to meet with Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir during his visit to Sudan.
Britain already has provided ?2 million (US$3.6 million) to support the AU mission and has pledged a further ?750,000 (US$1.4 million) for commercial charter planes to transport Nigerian troops to Darfur, the first of whom are expected to arrive later this week. Britain also will provide 6,000 ration packs for the AU mission.
However, at Darfur peace talks being held in Abuja, Nigeria, a senior Sudanese official rejected a proposal floated by the African Union to send nearly 2,000 peacekeepers to Darfur.
"Nobody agreed about that," Sudan's Agriculture Minister, Majzoub al-Khalifa Ahmad, said Monday.
"The security role is the role of the government of Sudan and its security forces," he said. However, he indicated Sudan might later consider an expanded AU role: "If there's a need, it will be discussed."
Late Monday, Ismail reiterated Sudan's pledge to work with the international community to make the Darfur situation "as normal as possible."
The Sudanese minister also insisted his government had made progress in tackling the crisis and improving security for the refugees. He said it was working closely with the African Union monitors.
Straw was expected to encourage the South African government to provide military assistance when he visits Cape Town on Wednesday.
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