Sudan’s main partners delay joint meeting to Monday

May 27, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The joint meeting between the two main partners of the national unity government has been delayed in order to settle differences over the remaining issue in the implementation of a peace deal signed on January 9, 2005.

Nafei Ali Nafei, the deputy chairman of the National Congress Party (NCP) announced on Sunday evening the deferral to Monday evening of the second joint meeting between the National Congress Party Leadership Office and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Political Bureau.

The purpose of the delay is to give more 24 hours to the two parties to reach a compromise on the remaining issues which include implementation of Abyei commission report and the oil concession given by SPLM to the British White Nile.

On May 22, a joint NCP-SPLM meeting issued a decision on formation of two sub-committees to study the two issues and to submit reports on them to the executive committee on May 26.

Riek Machar, the head of the SPLM delegation in the joint executive committee, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday that they agreed to designate a temporary administration for Abyei in order to provide service to the habitants of Abyei.

This transitional body will be composed of Dinka Ngok. The parties have to determine the attributions and the funding of this local administration.