Sudan’s top negotiator criticizes anti-four freedoms campaign
October 2, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s top negotiator Idriss Abdel Gadir addressed sharp criticisms to those who refuse a package of cooperation agreements he negotiated with South Sudan in Addis Ababa.
To face these criticisms, Idriss participated in different TV shows and held meetings to explain the nine deals they negotiated and inked by the two presidents Omer Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir on 27 September.
Speaking in a briefing to Khartoum state assembly about the agreements his delegation reached in Addis Ababa with South Sudan over the outstanding issues, he said those who refuse the cooperation agreements with the South Sudan stand “behind the history, the past and the present”.
He went further to express his wishes to sign forty freedoms agreement with the South Sudan instead of the four freedoms agreement. The state minister was referring to agreements that allows citizens of both states to enjoy freedom of residence, freedom of movement, freedom to undertake economic activity and freedom to acquire and dispose property.
The chief negotiator disclosed that a ministerial committee headed by interior ministers of the two countries will meet next week to work out a draft of a domestic law on the four freedoms between the two countries, according to the regulations of each country.
Idris also said he received threatening messages on his phone saying that Imams of mosques would be mobilised to abort the cooperation agreements with South Sudan. He however didn’t say who made these messages.
He said the two countries are damned to live together and peace should prevail between it even if a new war broke out.
The cooperation agreement is rejected by the Just Peace Forum (JPF), headed by Al-Tayeb Mustafa who used to profess his hatred to the South Sudan and campaigned for separation between north and South Sudan.
Khartoum Governor Abdel-Rahman Al-Khadir on Monday severely criticised Al-Intibaha daily newspaper during a discussion of Addis Ababa agreement at the council of ministers. The Sudanese official referred to the daily of Al-tayeb Mustafa without mentioning its name.
Al-Khadir said Al-Intibaha is the only newspaper that adopts a negative approach when it covers topics related to South Sudan called to ban it.
Idriss told Khartoum state lawmakers, in the meeting which was attended by the South Sudanese ambassador that intelligences services delegations from the two sides will meet next week to discuss the accusations of harbouring rebels and interfering in the internal affairs of the two countries.
On the economic level, the top negotiator said that Sudan will earn $ 5 billion from the transit of South Sudanese oil during the three next years. He added that the oil companies will receive 2 billion dollars.
He also stressed the two parties will continue to discuss the remaining issues of Abyei referendum and the disputed border areas.
South Sudanese ambassador in Khartoum Mayom Dot urged the two parties to show seriousness in the implementation of the signed agreements to cut short attempts to foil the agreements.
(ST)