South Sudan’s Kiir may meet Sudanese president in Kenya
April 7,2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan said Sunday that president Salva Kiir is likely to meet his Sudanese counterpart, Omer Al Bashir in Nairobi, during the inauguration ceremony of the new Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta.
“In fact President Salva Kiir Mayardit had already invited president Bashir and we have been waiting for him to come. The invitation is still holding. It is now the government of Sudan and the president to set date and inform us”, he further said.
On 28 March, Sudanese presidency press secretary Emad Sid Ahmed said Bashir accepted an invitation extended by President Kiir to visit Juba, but at the same time said the visit would not take place during the “coming two weeks”.
President Kiir is in Nairobi since Saturday and he is expected, according to his aides, to meet the new Kenyan president on Monday to discuss bilateral relations and joint projects as the construction of the Lamu port.
Khartoum and Juba are implementing a number of agreements signed last September particularly the activation of a buffer zone after the withdrawal of troops from the disputed border areas. Also Juba resumed the exportation of oil through Port Sudan to the international market.
On Sunday, during a meeting of a flow-up committee for the agreements concluded by the two countries, Al-Bashir directed that the implementation of 27 September Cooperation Agreement be completed.
The two countries agreed to resume talks on Abyei and the claimed border areas. Both South and South Sudan also resolved to form a mechanism to tackle the issue of rebel groups, as Khartoum expects much of this committee.
Sudanese defence minister announced last week that the issue of rebel groups will be discussed in a meeting to take place on 15 April.
(ST)