Juba seeks Sudan’s support in implementing peace agreement

September 6, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government said Sunday it was reaching out for assistances from the government of neighbouring Sudan from which the young nation seceded in 2011, to help implement the regionally brokered and internationally backed peace deal with armed opposition under the leadership of former vice president, Riek Machar.

South Sudan’s foreign minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, on Sunday said Russian foreign ministry will organize a meeting between Sudanese and South Sudanese foreign ministers to discuss ways to support the implementation of the deal.

“We are also asking the region, particularly those countries which have played a significant role in the mediation of the resolution of the conflict to stand with us and provide their support in any capacity. We expect Sudan as one of the countries which played a very important role in the mediation to play another positive role in the implementation,” Marial said in an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

The government, he added, affirmed full commitment to implementing the compromise peace agreement, despite reservations and called on the people to stand with the president Salva Kiir who signed the deal on 26 August.

Marial said he received an invitation from the government of Russia to travel to Moscow for a discussion on bilateral relations with Sudan on matters related to cooperation agreement and implementation of the peace deal.

“Our relations with Russia have been recording tremendous movement towards developing strategic relations and both of us would like to build on this beginning for the benefits of our people and the two countries in number of areas,” he said.

He described the role of Russia in trying to reconcile the views of the two countries on a wide range of post secession issues as “act of a very important friend.”

The top diplomat revealed the meeting between him and Sudanese minister of foreign affairs, Ibrahim Ghandour, was being arranged by the Russian minister of foreign affairs of Russia, Seje Labrov.

The meeting, according to him, will be held for two days from 9 – 11 September during which the discussions will be moderated by the hosting official on a wide range of post secession issues.

One of the issues he expected to be discussed is how the government of Sudan would help in the implementation of the recently signed peace agreement with the rebels.

Russia is the chair of the United Nations Security Council this month of September and urged the two parties to respect the ceasefire or face sanctions.

(ST)