South Sudanese president to attend Addis Ababa talks
February 27, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir will travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss critical issues on the country’s ongoing negotiations with the armed opposition faction, the foreign affairs minister said.
There were fears Kiir’s absence would derail efforts to reach a final peace agreement.
The South Sudanese leader skipped Monday’s opening session of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)-led negotiations, raising concerns over his government seriousness to peacefully end the over one year war.
Marial also briefed the United States envoy to Juba, Charles Twining and his Chinese counterpart, Ma Quing about government’s readiness to reach a permanent peace agreement with rebels and form a transitional government of national unity.
“I also informed the ambassadors that South Sudan does not need sanctions. We don’t want the peace to be derailed,” stressed the foreign affairs minister.
On Tuesday, a draft resolution circulated among members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called for the formation of a committee to impose targeted sanctions on individuals or entities obstructing South Sudan peace process.
South Sudan opposes calls for sanctions, with its UN ambassador, Francis Deng saying this “would only generate adversarial relationship and aggravate the situation”.
The conflict, which broke out in late 2013, followed disagreements within the ruling party (SPLM) led by president Kiir, but later turned into what has now been perceived as a power struggle between the president and his former deputy, Riek Machar.
Several cessation of hostilities agreements signed by both sides are yet to hold.
This month, the two parties signed an agreement on a power-sharing arrangement proposed by the East African regional bloc as fresh talks commenced in Addis Ababa.
The South Sudanese rebel leader on Thursday called on president Kiir, to “pack his suitcase” and come to Addis Ababa for direct negotiations with him in order to quickly resolve major sticking points and end the 14-month long civil war in the country.
This came a week after president Kiir failed to show up at the venue for the opening of the last round of the peace talks mediated between the two warring parties by IGAD.
(ST)
Related article:
Machar calls on Kiir to engage in direct negotiations in Addis Ababa