BEIJING: China has discussed tensions in Sudan and Myanmar with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

But a ministry statement did not release details of the Saturday night telephone call between Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Ban.

China has been heavily criticized for not using its influence with the governments of Sudan and Myanmar to try to alleviate major humanitarian crises in the two countries. Some international human rights groups have called for boycotts of next year's Beijing Olympics unless China acts.

China is one of Sudan's closest allies, buying two-thirds of its oil output and supplying the government with weapons. Beijing has been urged to pressure Khartoum to hasten the deployment of an African Union-U.N. peacekeeping force in Darfur. More than 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes during the 4-year-old Darfur conflict.

The Chinese hav...

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