Khartoum-Juba security talks postponed for the third time

December 8, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The third meeting of the joint Sudanese –South Sudanese Joint Political and Security Committee (JPSC), scheduled to be held here on Wednesday, was postponed for internal Southern Sudanese security reasons.

South Sudanese ambassador to Khartoum Mayan Dot Waal on Tuesday announced for the third time the delay of a security meeting to discuss the operationalization of a buffer zone on the border between the two countries and the deployment of UN supported joint monitoring patrols.

Waal said the South Sudanese delegation headed by the defence minister was not able to travel to Khartoum due to security considerations in his country. However, he didn’t elaborate on those reasons.

He told the semi-official Sudanese Media Centre (SMC) that a new date will be fixed for the talks later on.

In an extraordinary meeting in Addis Ababa held under the auspices of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel(AUHP) last September, the JPSC agreed to reactivate the 10-mile wide safe demilitarized zone.

The two countries had deployed troops on the border following the signing of the Cooperation Agreement on 27 September 2012. But Juba stopped the operation fearing that demilitarized zone which is established on disputed areas along the border may be used by Sudan to support its territorial claims.

The deployment of the joint monitoring force however was seen crucial to support a successful implementation of a peace deal aiming to end the 21-month South Sudanese conflict.

Sudan also urges Juba since several years to implement this agreement as it accuses the South Sudanese government of harbouring rebels from Darfur and the Two Areas.

South Sudan broke away from Sudan in July, 2011, following a referendum held in January of that year.

(ST)