Mbeki arrives in Khartoum to meet Sudanese leaders over talks with Juba

May 17, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – African Union’s (AU) mediator for Sudan and South Sudan, Thabo Mbeki, arrived in the capital Khartoum on Thursday evening as part of his efforts to encourage the two sides to return to talks.

Negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan over issues arising from the latter’s independence floundered dangerously in early April leading to the outbreak of fighting around the disputed oil-producing area of Heglig.

But Khartoum and Juba are currently under pressure from the AU and the UN Security Council (UNS), both of which issued resolutions ordering the two sides to cease hostilities, withdraw troops from contested regions, and return to negotiations with a three-month deadline to reach settlements to the issues at hand including oil exports, border demarcation, citizenship and status of Abyei.

The secretary of external relations at the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan, Ibrahim Gandour, said following the arrival of Mbeki at Khartoum airport that the AU official would hold meetings with first Vice-President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha and President Al-Bashir before leaving for Juba to hold similar consultations with South Sudan’s leadership.

Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesman, Al-Obaid Adam Marawih, earlier said that Mbeki was coming to discuss details of the negotiations including the date and the agenda.

Khartoum has been insisting that the talks give priority to security issues, in reference to South Sudan’s alleged support for rebels fighting the Sudanese government in the country’s border regions of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Juba denies the charge.

Gandour pointed out that prioritising the security dossier is not a condition on the part of Khartoum but rather a decision of the AU and the UNSC.

Meanwhile, South Sudan has accused Sudan of procrastinating. The country’s information and media minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, told AFP on Thursday that South Sudan’s delegation has been ready to talk but “Mbeki has not issued invites or given us a date” because Khartoum has been reluctant.

“I think they wanted to be sure that Sudan is coming” before inviting parties, he said, wondering why the AU has not criticised Sudan for “dragging its feet”.

Unlike South Sudan, Sudan has refused to withdraw its army from Abyei as ordered by the UNSC, citing the need to first form an administrative body in the area.

(ST)
”]