UK, French and German forces could be sent to stop the violence in Sudan’s region of Darfur as part of a European Union peacekeeping mission--that is one of several ideas to be discussed by EU foreign ministers next week, officials said on Thursday.

The proposed EU peacekeeping force, which would be the second sent to Africa, would support an African Union observer mission made up largely of Nigerian and Rwandan troops who are already in the region, although in too small numbers to have any real impact.