(Includes reaction from Annan, paragraphs 4-7)

By Opheera McDoom

KHARTOUM, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has turned down a proposed U.N. role in the peace mission in Darfur, opposed a large increase of troops and asserted that the crisis there has been exaggerated.

Bashir repeated his hardline position against a joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force to deploy in the troubled region of western Sudan, where aid agencies say 200,000 people have been killed since the conflict flared in early 2003.

"Any talk that we accepted joint forces is a lie," Bashir said, adding that the force should have .

But in New York, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan avoided the term "joint" force and said he had spoken to Bashir by telephone and was waiting for a written reply on Wednesday.

At a session in Addis Ababa on Nov. 16 with African leaders, Annan and others agreed the force would have a "predominantly African character" with command and control structures provided by the United Nations.

Annan said Khartoum had three questions: the size of the force, the role of a special representative and who would become the commander. Both Sudan and the United Nations agree the commander should be an African, Annan said.

But in Addis, the United Nations said the force should have 17,000 troops and 3,000 police to bolster the 7,000 AU troops on the ground, who have been unable to stop the violence.

However Bashir rejected this, saying he would not accept 17,000 troops but would agree to two extra battalions. This would amount to some 1,600 troops at most.

CRITICISM

Mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in Darfur in early 2003 accusing the central government of marginalising the arid region. Khartoum mobilised tribal militias, known as Janjaweed, to quell the revolt.

In remarks that sparked a storm of criticism by opposition parties, Bashir said the extent of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur had been grossly overstated.

"Counting all those killed in battles between the armed forces, the rebels and the tribes, the number does not reach 9,000," Bashir said in a news conference Monday broadcast live to nine countries.

Sudanese opposition parties said Bashir's remarks showed a lack of respect for Sudanese lives.

"The people outside will think that the president is lying and he does not respect the international community," said Bashir Adam Rahman of the opposition Popular Congress Party.

"When he denies the sun in the middle of the day that means either he is not serious or he thinks people are fools."

Mariam al-Mahdi, spokeswoman for the opposition Umma Party, said: "How can our last resort -- the president -- belittle the deaths of Sudanese people?"

Bashir, who has denied U.S. charges of genocide in Darfur, said security in the region was better than ever and U.N. and other reports of deteriorating security were lies.

An inquiry appointed by the United Nations refused to use the word genocide but said the government had been guilty of "heinous crimes" for its backing of murderous militia.

"The security problems are only in five of the 23 localities of Darfur," Bashir said. More than 90 percent of the security incidents since the (peace) deal was rebel infighting."

African Union special envoy Salim Ahmed Salim said Bashir probably felt that the international community was focusing only on the negative in Sudan.

"Maybe he feels that people are only trying to find the worst about Sudan, this is his concern," he told Reuters.

Bashir also accused aid agencies in Darfur, where 14,000 aid workers are involved in the world's largest humanitarian operations, of giving false information on the crisis to prolong their jobs in the region.

U.S. President George W. Bush telephoned his Chinese and Egyptian counterparts on Monday to try to enlist their help in urging Sudan to accept the U.N.-AU force.

Bush also asked Hu Jintao and Hosni Mubarak "to encourage President Bashir to stop any military activities by the Janjaweed and other forces against innocents in Darfur", White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said.

The top U.N. human rights body also backed on Tuesday an African-sponsored call for an end to violations in Darfur, but without criticising Khartoum.

European members of the 47-state Human Rights Council, had sought amendments to highlight what they said was the special responsibility of Sudan's government to rein in violations.

But the Council rejected the EU move and an African proposal was subsequently approved. (Additional reporting by Evelyn Leopold in New York)

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