Kiir, Bashir Talks Fail To Bear Fruits
The just concluded talks in Ethiopia between the South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al Bashir on the full implementation of the cooperation agreement yielded no fruits, an official said. 30 January 2013 Emmanuel Lowila, South Sudanese Minister of Presidential Affairs said the talks between the two presidents yielded nothing as Omar Bashir came up with new demands. [Waakhe Simon Wudu] By Waakhe Simon Wudu JUBA, 30 January 2013 [Gurtong] – President Salva Kiir and Omar Al Bashir last week met in Addis Ababa to attend an AU Peace and Security meeting and also met to device new mechanisms on how to best implement the cooperation agreements. Emmanuel Lowila, South Sudanese Minister of Presidential Affairs told press yesterday at Juba International Airport that, the talks between the two presidents yielded nothing as Omar Bashir came up with new conditionality. “The two Presidents discussed several issues pertaining the implementation of the cooperation agreement. But the President of Sudan comes with new condition on Abyei. They demanded a sharing of fifty: fifty that was not there before,” Lowila said. “On the border they brought conditionality on demilitarization of the border particularly the mile-14. They widened it extensively saying it should start from Abienom up to Raza,” he added. He pointed out that, area mile 14 in the cooperation agreement was only specified between Dinka Malual and Rizeigat. “So there was nothing much that was achieved in the summit between the two Presidents though the two presidents committed themselves that the agreement will be implemented unconditionally,” Lowila said. He added that, “but we don’t understand how it will be implemented unconditionally when Bashir continue coming with new issues.” President Kiir arrived yesterday to Juba from Ethiopia where he attended the AU Peace and Security meeting and presented South Sudan socio-political and economic challenges. He added that, the AU Peace and Security Council during the meeting had urged for immediate commitment and urgent full implementation of the agreement, stressing it is a basis for peace stability in the region. The Council also urged the AU High Level Implementation Panel let by Thabo Mbeki to report on any progress reached between the two nations in implementing the agreement. It also demanded the panel to report any an implemented issue with resolution. Both countries had agreed in September 2012 to set up a demilitarized buffer zone and resume oil production. A year ago, South Sudan shut down its entire oil output of 350,000 barrels per day after failing to agree on export and transit fees with Khartoum. Sudan has accused South Sudan of backing a rebel group called the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North) made up of fighters who sided with the South during the civil war. Posted in: Home, Foreign Relations, Governance Comments 30/01/2013, 9:42 AM - Posted by Charles Bakheit Omer Bashir decided a long time ago to hold our economy hostage whatever the cost to his own economy. This unending cycle of fruitless meetings has to be broken. Unfortunately we cannot rely on either the AU or international community to break it for us. The AU is toothless, and will be satisfied with the no war no peace status. And the international community does not consider our case a priority. This latter is possibly because of our diplomatic inexperience and inability to reach out diplomatically as compared to Khartoum. So what next for RSS? While I do not advocate abandoning talks, it is imperative that our government must explore other alternatives, including subtly supporting those for regime change in Khartoum. A regime change in Khartoum will most likely improve relationship, especially if with assistance from South Sudan. but this can prove tricky as it could be used to also destabilize South Sudan (already happening). Or RSS should pursue more aggressively alternative route for its export through Kenya. Search for investors to build a pipeline through Kenya should be intensified. This should include urging the current companies engaged in oil exploration in South Sudan to partner with RSS for such a venture as well as intensifying the search for more reserve. It is said that one of the reasons why investors are not forthcoming is because there is not enough reserve to justify the cost of building a pipeline to the coast. In the meantime RSS should work on developing its non-oil sector resources such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock and the mining sectors. We must borrow ideas from Kenya. This unnecessary cycle of meetings is not taking us anywhere. Some of these problems could be solved when we have a more friendly government in Khartoum. The Omer Bashirs and the Ali Nafies wont be there for ever. Charles Bakheit -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
