Sudan defends oil closure decision, criticizes US envoy at UN
June 26, 2013, (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese foreign ministry on Wednesday defended the country’s decision this month to shut down oil pipelines extending from South Sudan saying it exhausted all other options to resolve differences with Juba.
Al-Sideeg said there remains a window of opportunity to end the stalemate between the two neighboring countries through implementing the proposals of the African Union (AU) mediator Thabo Mbeki.
He also noted Sudan’s agreement to a visit by South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar which is expected to take place on Sunday.
Earlier this month Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir publicly ordered his oil minister to “immediately” close the oil pipelines and went as far as saying that Khartoum will never allow Juba to export its oil through its territories.
But Sudanese officials later talked down Bashir’s rhetoric saying that the closure will take place within 60 days and declared that his directives could be reversed if South Sudan gives up its backing to the rebels.
Khartoum also announced its acceptance of Mbeki’s proposal to defuse tensions between the two ex-foes.
The foreign ministry spokesperson also criticized this week’s remarks by the outgoing United States ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and accused her of “unjustified” hostility towards Khartoum.
Al-Sideeg said that Sudan expected Rice to encourage its actions and pointed out that the troika of US, UK and Norway affirmed that Mbeki’s proposal represents the way out of the deadlock.
He also addressed accusations by Rice on delivery of humanitarian aid to conflict-ridden areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile stressing that Washington knows that rebels are the ones impeding the tripartite initiative (AU, Arab League, UN) in this regard.
(ST)