Sudan Admits Existence of Criticism to Cooperation Agreement, Says SPLM-N
Are Big Problem
15 October 2012
Khartoum - Sudan's ruling National Congress Party has admitted the existence
of a strong opposition on both sides to the cooperation agreement inked with
South Sudan but underlined that the Sudanese rebels are a big problem for
Juba.
The 27 September agreements are facing criticism in Sudan and South Sudan.
However, in Juba there were rumours about an attempt to assassinate the
President Salva Kiir in relation with the issue of 14 mille and the
rejection of Malwal Dinka to include it in the buffer zone.
Also it was reported in Khartoum that the leadership of the rebel Sudan
People's Liberation Movement - North were summoned to a meeting held in Juba
on Saturday and another meeting will take place for the Sudanese
Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebels.
NCP spokesperson Badr Al-Din Ahmed Ibrahim said that Addis Ababa deals are
facing criticism in South Sudan because of some influential officials who
are directly concerned by some issues that are not yet resolved like Abyei
and the SPLM-N.
"We are not concerned by what is going on in South Sudan but we admit that
the agreement is facing criticism in the two countries," he added.
He however ruled out that this rejection affects its implementation as long
as there is a political determination to enforce it from both sides and it
benefits from the support of the United Nations.
He further said that even if there a violation that does not mean its
cancellation.
He underscored that the security arrangements are the most important for
Khartoum because of the political stability while for Juba it is the oil
exportation is the principal issue.
Badr Al-Din said if any of the two parliaments does not ratify the agreement
that may cancel it.
In Khartoum the parliament has already started to examine the cooperation
agreement as in Juba President Salva Kiir will address the lawmakers on
Monday before they discuss it.
Thabo Mbeki, African Union chief mediator has asked the SPLM-N rebels to
resume talks with Khartoum over the issues of the Two Areas, Ashorooq TV
reported on Sunday.
A member of the Sudanese negotiating team, Mohamed Koko said the cooperation
agreement provides clearly that the two countries will not harbour rebel
groups.
Commenting on the reports of a meeting between Salva Kiir and the SPLM-N
leaders, Badr Al-Din said he expects that it aims to explain to the rebels
that the signed deal is definitive and they have to prepare themselves to
become a political force.
He further said that the SPLM-N "is one of biggest problems facing the South
Sudan," stressing that Kiir's meeting with Malik Agar, Abdel Aziz AL-Hilu
and Yasir Arman meant to persuade them that there is no return to war with
Sudan.
He added that Khartoum sticks to the implementation of security arrangements
signed in Addis Ababa pertaining to the disarmament of former members of the
SPLA in Sudan.
He also renewed the rejection of his party to the initiative of President
Salva Kiir to facilitate a deal with the SPLM-N pointing out that the
government did not receive any official proposal in this regard.
"If (the proposal) is true, we will not accept it because the (SPLM-N) is
part of the security arrangements" and "I cannot sign an agreement and
before to implement it you come and open a new file. This means that you
defeated the agreement (you signed) yourself," he said.
He further said there was a (Sudanese) proposition to form the joint
security committees before the ratification of the cooperation agreement by
the parliaments of the two countries.
South Sudanese minister of information Barnaba Marial Benjamin explained
Friday in statements to the Sudanese radio that the security meeting was
delayed because Juba prefers that the parliament endorse the deals first.
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Received on Mon Oct 15 2012 - 18:02:07 EDT
