International community supports Sudans’ oil deal, urges comprehensive agreement
August 6, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan-South Sudan deal on oil and financial arrangements continues to draw international support from different countries, regional and international organisations. They all praise the two parties and urge a comprehensive agreement.
South Sudan independence was seen for many as viable solution for an endemic conflict that opposed the two parties of the east African countries during long decades.
For Juba leadership, the most important was to run the referendum on self-determination and to declare the independence, even if the 2005 agreement was not really conceived to that end. The outstanding issues can be resolved with the support of international community, they kept saying.
The emergence of South Kordofan conflict one month before the independence complicated the resolution of the disputed issues, as some in Juba thought this crisis can be used to push Khartoum to expedite an agreement on the unresolved issues.
However, the international community had to pressure strongly, through the resolution 2046, on the two sides to return to the negotiating table and to stop what was the beginning of an all-out war between the two countries last April.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in statements released on Monday welcomed the deal on oil and financial arrangements describing it as “important milestone for building good neighbourly relations between the two state”.
France which chairs the UN Security Council in August, saw it as “an encouraging sign that proves that compromise is possible, to the benefit of both nations, and which should enable them to help populations strongly affected by the economic crisis.”
Paris however maintained that a comprehensive deal remains an “urgent matter” and called upon the leaders of the two countries, Omer Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir, to take the “necessary political decisions” in the interest of their countries but also to preserve peace and regional stability.
From London, foreign secretary William Hague welcomed agreements between Sudan and South Sudan and called on both countries to redouble their efforts to resolve all remaining areas of difference.
“This breakthrough will be an important boost to the economies of both countries, and I commend the spirit of compromise both governments have shown”, he said.
China which is directly concerned by deal as it has important oil investments in both countries, welcomed the deal and urged the two nations to overcome the remaining issues that have brought them to the brink of war.
“China calls on the two Sudans to find more political courage, cooperate with international mediation efforts, maintain the sound atmosphere and momentum for negotiation and resolve the remaining issues,” said the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry Qin Gang on Monday.
The Arab League which is more and more involved in the resolution of Sudan’s conflicts, hailed the deal and expressed hopes that the two parties sign similar agreement on all the unresolved issues.
Ahmad bin Hali, deputy chief of the Arab organisation, said the solution of the oil issue is important step to resolve the other outstanding issues.
UN security council is expected to maintain the pressure on the two parties in its next meeting over the issue on 9 August.
However, the meeting of US State Department Secretary Hilary Clinton with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir proved the need for direct contacts with the leadership of both countries before their meeting expected to take place on 24 September.
Abyei issue remains the major issue which requires much of concessions and compromises.
(ST)