Sudan, South Sudan “agree” on negotiations roadmap
June 1, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese and South Sudanese negotiators agreed Friday on a roadmap to guide their talks being held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa under the mediation of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), according to Sudan’s news agency (SUNA).
The two neighbours resumed talks four days ago under a three-month deadline set by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union (AU) to conclude negotiations on oil exports, citizenship, border demarcation and the status of the Abyei region.
SUNA quoted Mutrif Sidiq, a member of the Sudanese delegation, as saying that the two countries agreed on Friday evening to adopt a roadmap whose implementation would begin on Monday, 4 June, with a meeting of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM), which comprises military, security and police chiefs of both countries.
The Sudanese negotiator added that the JPSM would address what was contained in the UNSC resolution (2046) regarding support of rebel groups as well as verification of border security arrangements. He further pointed out that the mechanism would delimit the safe demilitarised zone that the UNSC ordered and ensure that the two countries are no longer engaged in supporting rebel groups against each other.
Sidiq pointed out that the meeting of the JPSM would also discuss the implementation of previous security agreements signed between the two countries as mentioned in the UNSC resolution and the AU roadmap.
Meanwhile, the United States (US) envoy to the UN, Susan Rice, said on Thursday that the situation along the borders between Sudan and South Sudan is “still quite dangerous”, citing mutual allegations of military hostilities.
She underscored the importance of activating the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mission (JBVMM) as agreed between the two countries in July last year.
(ST)