Sudan’s military council reiterates commitment to strong relations with South Sudan
April 17, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The head of the Transitional Military Council (TMC), Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, reassured a South Sudan delegation of his government’s commitment to supporting the special relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Al-Burhan received a South Sudanese delegation led by Presidential Adviser on Security Affairs Tut Kew Gatluak who handed him a letter from South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
The head of the Transitional Military Council briefed the delegation on the latest developments in the country, stressing that the power would be transferred to the people as soon as possible, according to the official SUNA news agency.
Also, he stressed the importance of developing relations in all fields between the two countries as security cooperation continues.
When the Sudanese military overthrew al-Bashir on 11 April, President Kiir was in the Vatican for a spiritual retreat with his designate First Vice President Riek Machar. He returned to Juba on 13 April.
SUNA said the letter that Kiir sent to al-Burhan was related to the support of South Sudan and President Salva Kiir to the military council.
Mayiik Ayii Deng the Minister in the Office of the President told the agency that Sudan remains the guarantor of the revitalized peace agreement in South Sudan. Also, he added that South Sudan continue s to exert efforts to facilitate peace talks with the SPLM-N to end the armed conflict in the Two-Areas.
In a statement released in Juba, the presidency said that President Kiir proposed in his letter proposed to pursue his efforts to facilitate the peace talks with the SPLM-N rebels.
“The president has offered to mediate the ongoing negotiations among various groups in Sudan with the hope that the new transition will usher in a new day in Sudan,” read the statement.
Following the signing of the revitalized peace pact in September 2018, Kiir thanked President Omer al-Bashir for his efforts to bridge the gaps between him and the opposition groups and proposed to facilitate the peace talks between Sudan and his former comrades in the South Kordofan and the Blue Nile states of Sudan.
Deng added that the visiting delegation briefed the head of the military council on the efforts of President Salva Kiir in conducting a number of contacts with African leaders in order to reconsider the time limit granted to Sudan by the African Union to hand over power to civilians.
The African Union Peace and Security urged the military to hand over power to a civilian government and has given a two-week delay warning that Sudan membership in the regional body will be suspended.
(ST)