Helicopters sought after

The United Nations is intensively lobbying countries to provide helicopters for a UN-African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur, one of many obstacles to starting the mission effectively on January 1.

Officials and diplomats say no country has made a credible offer to provide the 24 transport and attack helicopters needed for the 26,000-strongforce.

(China Daily 10/22/2007 page9)