Juba says joint security meeting with Khartoum making progress
July 31, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan said Wednesday that it is optimistic that Juba will not be forced to stop oil production for export as ‘‘good progress’’ is being made in discussions with its neighbour Sudan.
Speaking to the Sudan Tribune from Nairobi where he is an envoy of President Salva Kiir at the Great Lakes regional summit, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, South Sudan’s new minister of foreign affairs said his country believes in dialogue to resolve conflicts.
“We believe disputes are resolved through dialogue, which is why we keep on talking with them (Sudanese government). We have never left the venue of negotiations when we have started. This is how we have been dealing with them over the past decades. They go when they want and still find us on the table when they return because we do not believe in violence”, Barnaba Marial Benjamin told the Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
The minister said he has told other African leaders that his country is interested in resolving the conflict over usage of the oil pipeline with Sudan in a honest manner.
“I told the African leaders and friends from around the world that the republic of South Sudan and the government under the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, is committed to resolving disputes with Sudan through peace dialogue and in a manner that reflect on honesty and clear understanding. We do not provide any support to any group fighting Sudanese government. This is not our interest. Our interest as a new country is to see that we live in peace with neibours including the republic of Sudan and to focus on development”, he explained.
OIL PRODUCTION REDUCED
Macar Ader, the undersecretary at the ministry of petroleum and mining said South Sudan has successfully completed gradual reduction of crude oil from the initial 200,000 barrels a day to 1600,000, when it resumed in April, because of threats by Khartoum to block the flow.
“Our production has reduced from 200,000 barrels a day to 1600,000 a day at the moment. This is in response to notification which the companies received from the government of Sudan”, Ader said in a separate interview Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a military source with knowledge of the agenda and what the two sides have been discussing has said some progress is being made on certain items and difficulties being faced on others especially how to activate buffer zones and establish a centreline in the demilitarized zones.
“Generally I can say there are some progresses. Some head way has been made and efforts are also being exerted to overcome difficulties in reaching consensuses on other items”, the source, who did not want to be named as he is not authorised to talk to the media, said on Wednesday.
(ST)