South Sudan president arrives in Israel

December 20, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The president of South Sudan Salva Kiir started a visit to Israel on Tuesday for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that will focus on repatriating illegal Sudanese refugees who flowed into the Jewish state over the last few years.

Kiir was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who told him that “your choosing [of] Israel as one of the first destinations to visit testifies to the deep friendship and the natural partnership between South Sudan and Israel”.

The Jerusalem Post newspaper which described the visit as low-key said that Netanyahu will ask Kiir to accept as many refugees as possible who will be flown back home by Israel.

This month the Israeli government approved new measures to crack down on illegal immigrants who cross into Israel through Egypt.

“Israel is a small country. It cannot allow itself to be flooded with illegal economic migrants,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in press statements this month.

“It is a threat to the society, the economy and to security” Netanyahu added.

Kiir is scheduled to meet with Israeli president Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

South Sudan became an independent state last July after its citizens voted overwhelmingly in favor of separation from the Arab-Muslim dominated north. The referendum was stipulated in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between North and South Sudan.

The Jewish state promised to assist South Sudan in areas of infrastructure, communications and agriculture.

(ST)