Sudan presidency deliberating on the date of VP Machar visit

June 19, 2013, (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that it is consulting with the Presidency and other ministries to agree on a time for the visit of South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar.

The South Sudanese cabinet decided in its weekly meeting of last Friday to dispatch Machar to Khartoum for talks with officials there on the row that erupted this month following Sudan’s decision to shut down its pipelines carrying oil from its southern neighbor.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir took the decision on the closure and said it should take effect immediately to punish Juba for its backing of Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebels who stepped up their attacks in border states lately.

The Foreign ministry spokesperson Abu-Bakr al-Sideeg Mohamed told reporters that their inter-governmental consultations are aimed at drafting a program of work for Machar during his stay in Khartoum.

He said that Juba proposed Sunday as a date for Mahcar’s visit.

Sudan has approved of an imitative by African Union (AU) mediator Thabo Mbeki to lower tension between the two countries and address their grievances. It also said that they could reverse their oil suspension decision if Juba stops aiding insurgents.

The dispute over rebel support has been rumbling for months, but the latest threat effectively tears up an agreement brokered by the African Union in March over transit fees that had shut the pipelines for 16 months.

(ST)