April 12, 2013 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and his visiting Sudan counterpart, Omer Hassan Al-Bashir ended their talks on Friday without striking a deal on the issue of the contested Abyei region.
Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir (L) and his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir address a joint news conference in Juba April 12, 2013. (Reuters)Bashir, making his first visit to South Sudan since its independence in July 2011, vowed to work hand to hand with Kiir to resolve the outstanding issues including Abyei where they are yet to establish temporary institutions and set up a referendum commission.
Barnaba Marial, South Sudan’s Information minister said the two presidents conducted a peaceful dialogue on all the outstanding post-independence issues and that they resolved to implement all aspects of last year’s Cooperation Agreement.
The two leaders, Marial added, agreed to set up a joint administration in Abyei, but failed to agree on how the local legislative council should be composed.
“President Salva stressed on the need to respect previous arrangement. He wants the 60% representation and 40% representation for the government of Sudan. This was how it used to be but president Bashir said it is better to use 50-50 representation”, Marial said
He further said the two presidents convened to continue their discussions on the issue and pointed out that Bashir had asked Kiir to visit Khartoum for further engagement on issues which remained unresolved.
“They will continue dialogue. You know nothing gets finished at once. There are issues which need consultations and explanation for better understanding”, the minister said.
Khartoum says it had previously accepted the 40% share because it wanted to encourage Southerners to vote for unity. But now as things are different it wants to re-establish the share of 50% as it is provided in 2005 peace agreement.
South Sudan’s minister of Cabinet Affairs, Deng Alor Kuol, who hails from Abyei, said the Sudanese government had no basis for demanding equal representation in the interim administration.
“The government of Sudan just knows very well that it has no basis for all claims it is putting forward. They are doing all these to buy time. It is not that they do not know what they are saying lacks basis”, he said.
In the 2005 peace deal, the two sides agreed that a referendum would decide whether Abyei would remain in Sudan or join South Sudan.
The area of Abyei was defined by the international court of arbitration in The Hague in July 2009; the rule outlined the traditional homeland of the Ngok Dinka chiefdoms.
However, the protocol of 2005 deal did not mention the Ngok Dinka by name, only saying that those resident in the area would be allowed to take part.
Khartoum has since argued that the Misseriya nomads should take part in the referendum. In 2010, the Sudanese government said it was in favour of partitioning of the area between the two countries.
But Juba remains opposed to these options, saying the right to vote should be reserved to the Ngok Dinka and some Misseriya nomads permanently residing in the disputed area.
Last year, an African Union panel on Sudan suggested that a referendum be in the region in October this year, but the two sides still have to set up the commission to run the vote.
(ST)
Bashir’s visit to Juba
Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir visited Juba on April 12 for the first time since South Sudan’s secession in 2011 for talks with his counterpart Salva Kiir. The two presidents failed to strike a deal on the issue of the contested Abyei region but did agree to implement previous agreements.
Storified by Sudan Tribune· Mon, Apr 15 2013 18:52:04
Video coverage of the summit.
Sudan’s Bashir visits South Sudanaljazeeraenglish
Presidents Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir Hold Closed-Door Meeting in Jubassudanonline
Sudan presidents agree on previous dealsenewschannel
Bashir and Kiir seemed in good spirits when they met at Juba airport.
President Salva Kiir of the Republic of South Sudan hosts President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of the Republic of Sudan. President Bashir visited Juba on April 12, 2013.Pan-African News Wire File Photos
President Kiir and behind him Governor of CES Wani welcomes President Bashir to South Sudanmy momory
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of the Republic of Sudan with President Salva Kiir of the Republic of South Sudan in Juba during an official state visit. The two states are working to normalize relations.Pan-African News Wire File Photos
Later in the day the addressed a joint press conference.
Presidents Kiir & Bashir addressing a joint press briefing after their meeting in Juba on 12 April 2013 #SouthSudan pic.twitter.com/RfAhqJSM3RGov of South Sudan
Photos: Sudan’s president visits JubaJUBA (12 Apr.) – President Omar Hassan Al Bashir made a one-day visit to the South Sudanese capital today, his first visit since before the referendum in January 2011. full story: http://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/photos-sudan%E2%80%99s-president-visits-jubaTamazuj Cross Borders
Tweets about Bashir’s visit.
Friday was President Bashir’s first official visit to @RepSouthSudan since independence in July 2011 #SouthSudanGov of South Sudan
Al-Bashir’s visit to South Sudan is a “major progress” in improving the relationship between Khartoum and Juba bit.ly/Zl7vlqSudaneseOnline
#Bashir in #Juba: No deal over #Abyei, talks to continue sudantribune.com/spip.php?artic… #Sudan #SouthSudanSudan Tribune
I didn’t call South Sudanese “insects”, #Bashir says sudantribune.com/spip.php?artic… #SouthSudan #Sudan #SPLMSudan Tribune
#Sudanese president orders “resumption” of border trade with #SouthSudan sudantribune.com/spip.php?artic… #Sudan #Bashir #Kiir #JubaSudan Tribune
Al-Bashir has invited President Salva Kiir to Khartoum for more discussion on cooperation agreementsRadio Miraya
Many South Sudanese expressed their unhappiness about Bashir’s visit for political reasons:
Some decisions taken in Juba leaves one baffled as to what is going on under president Kiir’s black hat.in my opinion ,Bashir should have been not accorded such grand reception in the drop of air and ground attack orders in mile 14 ,Jau and Upper Nile .One has to be really an ” insect ” to go ahead ,roll out red carpet and orchestrated musical band for blood thirsty facist like Bashir.Abataach John
After the oil was shutdown early march 2012, who did not faced what in south Sudan as a whole because some south Sudanese people are giving vague comments opposing President Bashir his visit to Juba Capital of South Sudan last Friday?????????????????/,,,,,,,,,,,,I really appreciate the Khartoum and Bashir’s government to accepted and implements the current and recent last signed documents of peace deal between the two neighboring countries, North and South Sudan, In the last one year, south Sudan was facing challenges of insecurity,austerer measures which had leads to reduction of public employees as well as their salaries,retirement of some government officials, lack of fuel , transportation of goods was a critical problem faced by our national traders, Poverty was also interfering with innocent citizens’ livs, Our major issue as south Sudanese, we think of supporting the rest of Sudanese rebels when we do not have enough military and logistics support to them, it is like a say, saying that, when there is an outbreak of war, you cannot run with some body’s child while leaving your child behind, this was a clear indication to our government and it has really sabotage the signing of pending documents between the two countries which would have been signed since last two years 2011-12.Lonymajak Makuei
While others noted or complained about the effect his visit had on Juba itself:
Juba getting back normal after BashirMarial Jieng
I don’t see the reason why people of S.Sudan particularly in Juba were punished to foot all over in Juba the all day just because Bashir came for a visit to Juba last friday till 6pm when vehicles were now allowed to move.To me, it’s useless to honour sb who doesn’t pay you back the same respect.Because in the near future when our president Gen.Salva Kiir visits Khartoum,Bashir will not even receive him at the airport.Instead of closing the businesses in his country on that day.Isn’t that humilation?So let’s stop honoring Bashir if we want him to stop calling us insect.Lew Pur
However, many were more positive…
In my view, coming of president Bashiir to Juba will only help in strengthening relationship between two countries for normalization of hostilities and implementation of 4 freedoms agreement but post referendum issues will remain un solve, for neither instance border demarcation nor Abeyi referendum are implemented and list is long…….. The evidence is years!Simon Aban
…including the African Union
The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, congratulates President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan and President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan for their fruitful summit meeting yesterday in Juba, South Sudan, which was a further demonstration of their commitment to foster the normalization of relations between the two countries and promote the wellbeing of their peoples.Omar Arouna
