Sudan’s NCP forms committee to review UNSC resolution

May 14, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan announced the formation of a committee that would review a resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) earlier this month.

The resolution by the world body came in response to a breakdown in ties between Khartoum and Juba which led to the most serious military confrontation between the two since Sudan broke into two last July.

South Sudan’s army managed to briefly control Sudan’s oil-rich town of Heglig last month before Khartoum reclaimed it.

The incident dashed hopes of a resumption of talks on post-referendum issues such as borders, oil, Abyei, citizenship and national debt.

UNSC ordered both sides to immediately cease hostilities, pull back troops inside their borders and resume negotiations with the aim of reaching a deal within three months. It threatened both sides with sanctions in the event non-compliance.

While South Sudan said it accepts the decision without conditions, officials in Khartoum gave contradictory stances amid divisions within the ruling party regarding how to react to the resolution.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir said last week that they will only implement portions of the resolution they agree with. So far Sudan rejected the UNSC’s instruction to resume negotiations with Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N), which is battling the army in Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

The NCP’s external relations chief Ibrahim Ghandour said they will form a panel that will discuss how to deal with the UNSC resolution.

He pledged that the party will coordinate with the foreign ministry, parliament and other parties that are part of the government in order to confront challenges facing the country.

Ghandour accused Juba of playing the role of victim and urged the UNSC to condemn South Sudan’s “continued aggression” if they are “truly fair”.

The NCP official denied that his country is stonewalling the negotiations with South Sudan saying that its date has yet to be determined by the chairman of the African Union (AU) panel Thabo Mbeki.

In a related issue the Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson Al-Obeid Marwih said that the ministry will work to bypass the debate within the government regarding the resolution and would work to avert dangers being “sewed” from behind the scenes.

He stressed Sudan’s desire to maximise benefits through adhering to the international community mechanisms.

(ST)