KHARTOUM (AFP) - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, facing a possible international arrest warrant for allegedly masterminding genocide in Darfur, is to make a rare visit to the war-torn region on Wednesday.

The two-day trip will take the head of state, a bevy of officials and a plane load of journalists, to the three state capitals in the vast arid region, El Fasher in the north, Nyala in the south and El Geneina in the west.

At each stop he is scheduled to address popular ceremonies organised in his honour, as well as hold talks with state government officials, local leaders and political party representatives, the presidency announced.

Beshir heads first to El Fasher, the old capital of Darfur and headquarters for a poorly manned and equipped UN-led peacekeeping mission.

He then proceeds to Nyala, where he will inaugurate development projects and visit a water station, before flying on to El Geneina, not far from the Chadian border, on Thursday and returning to Khartoum.

International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accuses Beshir of instructing his forces to annihilate three non-Arab groups in Darfur, masterminding murder, torture, pillaging and using rape to commit genocide.

Members of those groups, the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa, some of whom belong to Beshir's National Congress Party in the complex overlapping nature of the Darfur conflict, are also expected to greet the president.

State media quoted Beshir as reiterating to Arab lawyers on Monday that Sudan rejected any outside interference, "blackmail and pressure" and vowed again never to surrender any citizen to the international community.

The United Nations says that up to 300,000 people have died and more than 2.2 million have fled their homes since the conflict erupted in February 2003. Sudan says 10,000 have been killed.

The war began when African ethnic minority rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated Khartoum regime and state-backed Arab militias, fighting for resources and power in one of the most remote and deprived places on earth.

Presidency officials refused to comment on the purpose or the timing of Wednesday's visit, but analysts predicted the move was part of Sudan's intense diplomatic offensive to stave off potential ICC charges.

"I think the purpose of the visit is to show that the people of Darfur do not agree with the ICC," said Adil el-Baz, editor in chief of the independent Al-Ahdath newspaper.

"It makes him look politically very good if the people of Darfur welcome him and observers see thousands of people rushing to welcome him. This will give him a new image in the international community," he told AFP.

The government is in full control of the three main towns of Darfur, which are heavily protected from the open desert and scrub where the conflict pitting the army and state-backed militias against ethnic rebels has been conducted.

Beshir's regime is focused on trying to persuade the UN Security Council to freeze possible legal proceedings should ICC judges actually issue an arrest warrant, on the grounds that it could jeopardise peace prospects.

The African Union, supported by the Arab League, on Monday urged the UN Security Council to stall possible legal action against Beshir.

The Council can pass a resolution to defer for a period of 12 months, renewable, any investigation or prosecution by the ICC with a majority of nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members.

Of those five, China and Russia are concerned about the ICC move. The United States does not recognise the ICC but has said genocide is taking place in Darfur.

France, where Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor has been holding talks, and Britain have signed up to the ICC.

Of the 10 rotating members, Sudan hopes to bank on the support of at least Burkina Faso, Libya, South Africa and Indonesia.

The remaining members are EU countries Belgium and Italy; Croatia, Costa Rica, Panama and Vietnam.

Beshir last visited Darfur in 2007 in a bid to demonstrate commitment to developing the region.

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