South says Sudan plans to derail cooperation deal
May 28, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan on Tuesday dismissed its northern neighbour’s claims that it supports rebel opposed to the latter, saying the allegations were a mere plot to derail agreements both countries signed last year.
“We have said this number of times that the republic of South Sudan does not provide any support to any of the rebel groups in Sudan and our commitment to peaceful resolution is demonstrated by our actions especially in the implementation of the cooperation agreement,” said Barnaba Marial Benjamin.
We have all withdrawn our forces from the border areas and this has been verified and confirmed by the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the international force, which the two parties had agreed to extension of their monitoring and verification activities along border line, he added.
The minister’s remarks cam a day after the Sudanese president, Omer al-Bashir threatened he would order cut-off of oil flow of oil from South Sudan, should the latter allegedly continue to providing support to rebels.
“Such threats from president Bashir clearly show intentions and plans to derail peace process. The production of oil and export through Sudanese territory has economic benefits for both countries,” Marial told journalists.
He further warned that a halt in South Sudan’s oil flow would deprive citizens from both countries benefits associated with oil resources.
While meeting South Sudan president Salva Kiir, early this month, the Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti claimed Khartoum had evidences that some circles in the Juba government continue to support the rebels opposed to the northern regime.
Karti further transmitted a demand from Bashir asking to allow the Sudanese troops to chase them inside the South Sudanese territory and to close some business offices in Juba allegedly importing military logistics for the rebel groups.
But president Kiir announced that he had rejected these requests as the deployment of joint patrols with the cooperation of a UN force permits to monitor the common border.
In September of last year, the two countries signed a series of cooperation agreements which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, and border trade among others.
After several months of an apparent setback, the two parties signed an implementation matrix in March of this year for these cooperation agreements.
However observers agree that mistrust will continue to prevail between the two countries unless the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile is peacefully settled.
(ST)