Ethiopia proposes body to verify claims of rebel support between Khartoum and Juba
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
July 3, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn on Monday proposed the establishment of an investigative body that will attempt to verify claims if rebel support traded between Sudan and South Sudan.
Although Khartoum and Juba have signed a series of agreements including ones on oil and security, the two east African neighbours, Desalegn said, still face challenges that could derail previous agreements.
Unless the re-emerging challenges are tackled the achievement of lasting peace and stability will be difficult, he added.
Last March, the two sides reached an that enabled them to resume oil exports after one year suspension.
But the two countries however continue to trade accusations of harbouring insurgents in the territories of the other. The two former civil war rivals deny supporting the respective rebels.
Last month Sudan said it will stop exporting South Sudan’s crude oil unless the latter refrains from supporting Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebels that operate in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. South Sudan immediately responded with similar accusations against Sudan.
After the meeting, the Sudanese president told reporters that his meeting with Desalegn centered on Ethiopia’s role towards a speedy implementation of the previous agreements signed between North and South.
Bashir said he had a fruitful discussion with the Ethiopian premier on resolving the new setbacks facing Khartoum and Juba.
He further lauded the role Ethiopia is playing to bring about peaceful solution to the disputes and also its role in working towards peace and stability in the East African region as a whole.
Ethiopia is seen as neutral and credible mediator by both sides and most of the agreements reached by two sides in recent years have been signed in Addis Ababa.
(ST)