On Abyei, Rice Says Negotiate with Mbeki Proposal as Basis, Sudan Says
Direct
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 5, 2012 -- How is the dispute about Abyei between
Sudan and South Sudan to be resolved? After the September 27 high level
meeting at the UN <
http://www.innercitypress.com/sudans1confab092712.html> ,
the Communique stated:
"Participants noted that the AUHIP [African Union High level Implementation
Panel, led by Thabo Mbeki] has submitted a comprehensive proposal regarding
the Final Status of Abyei, and strongly encouraged the Parties to continue
negotiations on this issue, with a view to reaching agreement before the
Peace and Security Council meets to consider the report of the AUHIP."
Inner City Press right after that meeting tried to ask the UN's Herve
Ladsous about Abyei, the UN and next steps, but Ladsous refused to answer.
See video here <
http://www.innercitypress.com/ladsous1noabyei092712.html> .
Afterward South Sudan's chief negotiator Pagan Amum said, "The issue of
Abyei is finished, no more discussions. The two countries will be expecting
a solution from the African Union Peace and Security Council."
But the Communique "strongly encouraged the Parties to continue
negotiations on this issue."
On October 4, Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice about Amum's
statement, and for the US view. Video here
<
http://webtv.un.org/watch/susan-rice-usa-on-sudan-and-south-sudan-security-
council-media-stakeout-4-october-2012/1878385557001/> , from Minute 9:32.
Ambassador Rice replied, "We look forward to former president Thabo
Mbeki's report, first to African Union Peace and Security Council then of
course thereafter to the [UN] Security Council in which we expect this issue
to be addressed."
Of Mbeki, Rice said "he has tabled a proposal that is consistent with
Abyei protocol and the finding of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, we
think that's a worthy and valid proposal and we hope it will remain the
basis of the negotiating efforts going forward."
Moments later, Inner City Press put the same question to Sudan's Permanent
Representative Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, who said that the dispute about
Abyei should be addressed through "direct negotiations." Video here
<
http://webtv.un.org/watch/daffa-alla-elhag-ali-osman-sudan-on-sudan-and-sou
th-sudan-security-council-media-stakeout-04-october-2012/1878384857001/> ,
from Minute 3:12.
So that is the range: South Sudan says the AU PSC should just rule on the
matter and the two countries accept it unconditionally; Sudan says it should
be negotiated directly between the parties. The US' stated position is that
the parties should negotiated, but on the basis of the Mbeki and,
presumably, AU PSC proposal.
With Mbeki slated to visit both Khartoum and Juba before presenting his
report to the AU PSC on October 21, perhaps that is as close to "direct
negotiations" as things will get.
Inner City Press asked asked Sudan's Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman about the
blockage in aid getting to Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Video here
<
http://webtv.un.org/watch/daffa-alla-elhag-ali-osman-sudan-on-sudan-and-sou
th-sudan-security-council-media-stakeout-04-october-2012/1878384857001/> ,
from Minute 5:55. He said, there is in blockage, as soon as the three
institutions, the Arab League, African Union and United Nations, along with
the representative of the government of Sudan meet, they will work out the
modalities." Watch this site.
>From the US Mission transcript:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you, the communiqué that came out after
the Sudan / South Sudan meeting during the General Debate said that the two
parties should continue to negotiate on the unresolved issues. But Pagan
Amun, the chief negotiator of South Sudan, said there's no need to negotiate
anymore in Abyei, that a proposal was made that Sudan turned down and now
it's just sort of in the hands of the high-level panel. What's the U.S.'s
view? Should South Sudan continue to negotiate this issue of Abyei, as was
said in the communiqué, or what's the next step to actually solve this
unresolved issue?
Ambassador Rice: Well, we look forward to former President Thabo Mbeki's
report first to the AUPSC and then of course thereafter to the Security
Council in which we expect this issue to be addressed. He has tabled a
proposal that is consistent with the Abyei protocol and the findings of the
Permanent Court of Arbitration. We think that's a worthy and valid proposal
and we hope it will remain the basis of the negotiating efforts going
forward.
Received on Sat Oct 06 2012 - 20:02:30 EDT
