Sudan ruling party says not informed of Abyei hearing at UNSC

November 25, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The presidential advisor, Mustafa Osman Ismail has denied any knowledge of the ruling party of an agreement with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to call the Abyei experts’ committee to a hearing at the Security Council.

Minister for presidential affairs for the government of South Sudan, Luka Biong Deng, said in press statements that Sudan’s First Vice President and Ban Ki-Moon agreed during a visit to the US, to organise a hearing for the members of Abyei Boundary Commission before the UN Security Council.

The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) secretary for political affairs, Mustafa Osman Ismail, criticized statements attributed to the First Vice-President and chairman of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, Salva Kiir Mayardit, regarding this step which was published in some Khartoum newspapers.

He also condemned some SPLM leaders for using the media to arouse the issues regarding the peace agreement, the official SUNA reported.

Ismail further said “We do not have any knowledge of what was attributed to Salva Kiir regarding his agreement with the UN secretary-general to call the Abyei experts’ committee. However, we only heard of this as we heard before from the media that Abyei file would be handed over to US since the beginning of the current crisis.

He added that “We also heard about threats of SPLM plan (B) which we do not know its details”

The presidential advisor said such issues should be on the table of negotiations instead of raising it through the press. He added “Such behaviour intrigues us and questions the seriousness of these statements.”

The SPLM suspended its participation in the government of National Unity on October 13, 2007 to protest the ill implementation of the CPA by its partner in peace the National Congress Party.

(ST)