Turkey wants to mediate between Sudan and South Sudan
December 29, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese foreign minister Ali Ahmed Karti said that Turkey presented a proposal to resolve the disputed issues between Sudan and South Sudan.
In statements to the Turkish Anadolu Agency in Ankara, Karti said that Turkey offered proposals to solve the outstanding issues between Sudan and South Sudan.
“Turkey is playing an active role to solve our problems with South Sudan and is helping us. Turkey offered proposals to solve the dispute between Sudan and South Sudan,” Karti said.
“Turkey could play a crucial role in this regard,” he further said without elaborating on the details of this proposals.
Ethiopian PM was this week in Khartoum and Juba where he discussed the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement the two countries signed last September with the presidents Omer Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir.
He invited them to meet during the upcoming days in Addis Ababa. The presidential summit is also expected to discuss the issue of Abyei region.
The Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutolu told the press that : “We have agreed in principle to mediate between Juba and Khartoum and improve the ties between the two countries.”
Norway, Turkey and United Kingdom are supposed to organise an international conference to support Sudan’s ailing economy after the independence of South Sudan.
The Sudan Economic Conference which was planned to take place last March in Istanbul was cancelled as the United States and its Western allies declined to participate demanding to resolve South Kordofan crisis first.
Turkish investment in Sudan totals about $200 million and is mainly in steel, cement, PVC manufacturing, grain import and export, furniture, textiles, and home appliances.
Turkish companies are also building $300 million worth of infrastructure projects.
Turkey i also showed its interest to take part in the developments of the newly independent South Sudan.
South Sudanese foreign minister Nhial Deng Nhial, Minister of Foreign paid an official visit to Turkey on 23 November 2012.
He reviewed bilateral relations with Trukish foreign minister Ahmet Davutolu and the two parties agreed to increase high level mutual visits and to hold regular political consultations.
(ST)