KHARTOUM, April 10 (Reuters) - Sudan's Foreign Minister indicated on Tuesday that the remaining obstacle to a deal to bolster an African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur had been overcome.

Speaking after South African President Thabo Mbeki held talks on Darfur with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Foreign Minister Lam Akol said the issue of whether helicopter gunships should be used was no longer an issue.

"Both sides were saying that there was not enough explanation as to the need of those attack helicopters," he said at a news conference.

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