Sudan’s Presidency to continue meeting on Abyei

November 29, 2010 (JUBA) – The Presidency has not resolved the issue of the oil-producing region of Abyei, promising to conduct another meeting soon.

The three-man Sudan’s Presidency which includes President Omer Al-Bashir, First Vice President, Salva Kiir and Vice President Ali Osman Taha, held a preliminary meeting over the weekend under the auspices of the African Union Panel.

In a press statement shortly after the return to Juba of the First Vice President, Salva Kiir, the Minister in the Office of the President of the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan, Dr. Cirino Hiteng, told reporters that the issues on Abyei had been deferred until Thursday.

Hiteng explained that the Presidency was presented with a proposal from by the AU Panel and that they were given few days to study it before the talks resume.

He said Kiir would travel back to Khartoum to resume the meeting on Thursday.

Abyei region which is contested between North and South has not taken part in
the ongoing registration for its referendum which is supposed to take place
concurrently with that of Southern Sudan as promised under the 2005 peace deal.

(ST)