Sudan and South Sudan lobby Russia to oppose UN sanctions
September 11, 2015 (MOSCOW) – Sudanese and South Sudanese foreign ministers have teamed up in calling on the Russian Federation to reject looming sanctions likely to be imposed on South Sudan by the United Nations Security Council.
The Friday’s meeting under the auspices of the Russian government aimed at implementation of the cooperation agreement the two countries signed three years ago in September 2012. There are outstanding issues including security arrangements and border demarcation between the two nations.
However, the communiqué appealed to Russia to work closely with the two countries, particularly with South Sudan against the proposed sanctions if a recently peace deal to end the 20-month long civil war in South Sudan was not respected and implemented.
“We, agreed to request the Russian Federation to work closely with the two countries, and specifically with South Sudan in rejecting or opposing forthcoming proposed sanctions by the United Nations Security Council,” party reads the statement signed by the two foreign ministers.
“We request the role of the Russian Federation to oppose any other sanctions suggested against the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan including sanctions targeting individuals,” it said.
United Nations has drafted a US-led sanctions to be imposed on party that will be seen to be against implementation of the peace agreement signed on 17 and 26 August by the two parties.
On the relations between Khartoum and Juba, the two top diplomats said defence ministers from the two sides will also visit Moscow to work out implementation of security arrangements.
They also revealed that they were working out plans to invite president Omar Hassan Al Bashir and president Salva Kiir to meet in the Russian capital in furthering the relations.
In an interview with the Russian TV (RT) broadcasted on Friday, Ghandour disclosed that the two countries agreed to accelerate the implementation of the security agreements, boarder trade agreement, and inter-banking cooperation agreement.
On Thursday, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov vowed that his country will continue to support Sudan and South Sudan in the bilateral negotiations on resolving the outstanding issues between the two Sudans.
Speaking during a press-conference with his Sudanese and South Sudanese counterparts, Lavrov further said the third session of the intergovernmental commission with Sudan will be held by the end of 2015.
“The bilateral intergovernmental commission on economic and trade cooperation is playing an important role. We have confirmed the need and readiness to hold a third session in Khartoum by the end of this year,” Lavrov said.
(ST)