Bashir threatens again to stop oil exports from South Sudan
KHARTOUM | Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:50pm EDT
(Reuters) - Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Friday threatened
again to stop oil flows across its border with arch-rival South Sudan unless
the south stops supporting rebels operating across the shared frontier.
Khartoum said two weeks ago it would close within 60 days two pipelines
carrying oil exports from landlocked South Sudan to Port Sudan unless Juba
cut ties with Sudanese rebels. The south denies doing so, and accuses Sudan
in turn of backing insurgents on its soil.
The two neighbors agreed in March to restart oil flows and end hostilities
plaguing them since South Sudan became an independent state in 2011.
"They (South Sudan) only want to implement the oil deal," Bashir told a
congress of his National Congress Party. "As long as these people do not
execute all agreements by 100 percent no barrel of oil will be piped to Port
Sudan."
Under the March deal, both sides were meant to boost bilateral trade,
improve border security and set up a buffer zone along their disputed
boundary to defuse tensions, after coming close to war in April 2012.
But both armies still maintain troops and tanks inside the zone in violation
of the deals, the Satellite Sentinel Project, a U.S. activist group, said in
a report.
Showing satellite images, the group said South Sudan's army had still
checkpoints or camps in at least nine locations near the southern side of
the border. Sudan's forces had positions in at least five places where tanks
or artillery could be seen.
Sudan has said that it will allow the export of oil already piped to Port
Sudan, part of which is owned by Asian firms
<
http://www.reuters.com/places/china> China National Petroleum Corp, India's
ONCG Videsh and Malaysia's Petronas.
Diplomats doubt Sudan will actually close the pipelines because its
<
http://www.reuters.com/finance/economy?lc=int_mb_1001> economy has been
suffering without South Sudan's pipeline fees. Juba also depends on oil.
(Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Roche)
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Received on Sun Jun 23 2013 - 17:22:58 EDT