Sudan postpones deadline to shutdown oil pipeline, says Ethiopia
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
July 26, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – A spokesperson for Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the Sudanese government has agreed to delay the shutdown of oil pipelines which South Sudan uses to transport its crude oil to the international market via Port Sudan.
“The Sudanese government has agreed to postpone the August 7 deadline by at least two weeks”, Ethiopia Ministry of foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Ambassador Dina Mufti, told Sudan Tribune.
“Sudan’s move should be seen positively” Mufti said adding “We believe the two weeks delay will allow time to settle down the differences between the two countries”, Dina said confirming reports from Khartoum on Thursday.
Sudan is said to have agreed to the delay after talks with the Chairman of the AU High Level implementation Panel, Thabo Mbeki and Chair of IGAD’s Council of Ministers, Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Tedros Adhanom.
The talks held on Thursday aimed at easing renewed tensions between Sudan and South Sudan.
During the high-level talks, Mbeki and Adhanom called on Sudanese authorities to delay the deadline Khartoum set for shutting the oil pipelines.
The delay was requested to give the AU-IGAD investigative team enough time to probe the allegations of rebel support traded by the two countries.
Former South African President, Mbeki, who proposed for the formation of the investigative team said “the AUHIP and IGAD believe these committees should be given time to do their job”.
The AU verification committee, the Ad Hoc Investigative Mechanism(AIM) arrived in Sudan on Tuesday and it will then go to South Sudan.
The investigative team which is comprised of three senior military officers will complete its task in six weeks.
After holding talks with President Omar Al-Bashir on Thursday, China’s special envoy to Africa, Zhong Jianhua, also proposed that Khartoum delays the deadline by15 days to allow more time for consultations that would avert a shutdown of the oil pipelines.
The African Union on Monday said the distrust caused by Khartoum-Juba rebel support accusations has jeopardized the implementation of a series of agreements the two countries signed in Addis Ababa on 27 September 2013
AU further said the counter accusations are hindering efforts aimed at normalization of relations between the two former civil war foes.
However President Al-Bashir told Adhanom and Mbeki that his country is committed to maintaining good relations with South Sudan and achieve peace and stability through the implementation of the cooperation agreements.
Sudan and South Sudan recently edged towards shutting down the cross-border oil flow after row over rebel support escalated.
Stoppage of oil production will adversely affect the economies of the two countries.
(ST)