Juba says new changes will not affect cooperation agreement with Khartoum

August 6, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan said on Tuesday that recent changes made by President Salva Kiir in his government will not affect the ongoing dialogue with Sudan.

“The recent development should be seen as normal administrative changes which happen everywhere. It will not affect ongoing dialogue with Sudan”, said foreign affairs minister Barnba Marial Benjamin in an interview with Sudan Tribune.

In a string of decrees, President Kiir recently replaced his long-serving vice-president Riek Machar and his entire cabinet.

There were fears that such a drastic and massive change would have implications on the two-year old country and how it relates with its northern neighbour Sudan, but Marial downplayed any negative implications on negotiations with Khartoum.

“The cooperation agreement was signed between two countries not individuals, so discussions will continue to go on this basis”, he said.

Instead, Marial said his government is looking towards strengthening “cordial relations” with Sudan, adding that South Sudan approved the intervention of the African Union (AU) to form an independent security committee to verify allegations by Khartoum that his country provides support to rebel movements in the north.

“We have no problem with the intervention. That is why I have always said that our relationship is a win-win one. I have earlier stated that geopolitics never lies and I have understood this a long time ago. We have to understand that neither South Sudan nor Sudan can go without the other. South Sudan cannot be gold while Sudan is dust and so they all have to develop together”, he stressed.

We can harness development in ensuring that the two countries grow, he added.

Marial, who was speaking in an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune since his recent appointment, expressed confidence in the leadership of president Kiir and Sudanese president Omar-Hassan-al-Bashir to resolve disputes through dialogue.

“These two [Kiir and Bashir] are the same generation. They have the same vision for the two countries, they are true supporters of peaceful coexistence of our countries to live in peace and side by side”, he said.

The minister said both Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart know that their countries share a common destiny because of their history and proximity to one another.

(ST)