South Sudan rivals make significant progress in peace talks

February 24, 2015 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese government has expressed renewed optimism that ongoing difficulties could be overcome in the latest round of regional facilitated peace talks with the armed opposition faction under the leadership of former vice-president Riek Machar.

Deputy foreign affairs minister Peter Bashir Gbandi told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that there has been significant progress in negotiations, expressing hope that a peace deal could be reached in the coming days.

The comments come after president Salva Kiir issued an amnesty pardoning all those who took up arms against the government.

“This alone is a significant step and demonstrates a strong commitment of the president and the government to bringing peace to the country at the quickest time possible,” said Gbandi.

The minister added that negotiations have been continuing through thematic committees on governance, security and economic matters, as well as other outstanding issues.

“Through these committees, we have now have agreed to de-escalate and withdraw forces from the frontlines,” said Gbandi, adding that the move would prevent further confrontations between the rival forces.

Meanwhile, information minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the two sides had agreed to resume negotiations after failing to reach an understanding on a question of continuing to negotiate power while the Arusha agreement on the reunification of the three factions groups make them members of one political entity.

“To our understanding the Arusha agreement is out of [the] question, so all that we have been doing in Arusha is in vain,” Lueth said in a statement broadcast on South Sudan Television (SSTV) on Tuesday.

“So we agreed to disagree and as a result we agreed that we [should] continue with the talks as if there is no Arusha,” he added.

The minister claimed that the government and former political detainees had shared the same position on reunification, but that the armed opposition group had objected.

“They (the former detainees) were in a full agreement with the government delegation on this issue of reunification and the way forward in terms of the peace talks, so as of now, we are agreed on the agenda and we will continue to negotiate on the rainbow document as if there is no Arusha,” he said.

(ST)