If he will make a statement on the political situation in Darfur.

Due to fragmentation among rebel movements and intensified fighting between the Government of Sudan and rebel groups, there has been no recent progress in the political process. The UK set out, at a meeting convened in Geneva on 18 March by the United Nations and African Union envoys, proposals for a cessation of hostilities and actions to revitalise the political process, including the urgent appointment of a single chief mediator and deeper engagement with civil society.

I am grateful for the Minister's reply. Is she aware that China sold Sudan $55 million-worth of small arms between 2003 and 2006 and has provided more than 90 per cent. of Sudan's small arms since 2004, when a UN arms embargo took effect? Does she agree that China must do a lot more, in Sudan and Tibet, to end violence and support human rights?

This Government want China to use its considerable influence in Khartoum to play a constructive role in Darfur. The Chinese special envoy for Africa visited London last month and discussed with my right hon. Friends key objectives in Sudan, particularly the acceleration of UNAMID—United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur—deployment. I am sure that, like me, the hon. Gentleman wants to see the Chinese use their influence in a positive way.

When I was in Darfur in December, we were told by one of the commanders of the African Union force that three things were needed to enable that force to do its job properly: first, the lifting of the night-time ban on helicopter flying; secondly, the availability of logistical resources; and thirdly, the removal of the obstacles placed by the Sudanese Government in the way of entry into the country for personnel and equipment that the force needs to do its job. Can the Minister tell us what progress has been made on each of those three specific measures?

As I said in my earlier answer, the real problem is the fighting taking place on the ground, which means that none of those matters is moving forward. There has been progress on the provision of helicopters, which we discussed during the last Foreign Office questions, in that Ethiopia has offered four more. In reality, however, until the fighting stops on the ground, further deployments cannot take place and the humanitarian situation will continue, causing us all a great deal of concern.