Security Council extends UNMISS mandate and discusses Sudan-South
Sudan relations
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July 11, 2013 (WASHINGTON) - The United Nations Security Council on
Thursday renewed for another year the mandate of UN Mission in South
Sudan (UNMISS) and held a consultation meeting on relations between
the two Sudans.
As expected, the 15-member council approved unanimously a resolution
drafted by the United States, extending UNMISS’s mandate until 15 July
2014. The resolution demanded the South Sudanese government ensure
unrestricted freedom of movement throughout its territory for the
mission and its associated organisations.
The Security Council also welcomed the geographical reconfiguration of
UNMISS "military and asset deployment so as to focus on volatile
high-risk areas and associated protection requirements". The measure
was announced in the report that the UN secretary general submitted
last month.
But earlier on Thursday morning the Council was briefed by the head of
the peacekeeping department, Hervé Ladsous, who was in the region and
met with the leadership of the two countries, including presidents
Omer Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir.
Ladsous briefed the Security Council about the ongoing efforts to ease
the tensions between Khartoum and Juba and the outcome of the talks
held between the vice-presidents of the two countries following a
two-day visit by Riek Machar to Sudan.
US acting ambassador to the United Nations, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, who
chairs the Council for this month told reporters that Ladsous updated
the Council on progress between Sudan and South Sudan in implementing
their bilateral agreements and in particular on their follow-up to
President Mbeki’s June 9 proposals and the joint statement by the
governments of Sudan and South Sudan on July 1.
"Ladsous reported that there’s been some progress in the AU Border
Program Technical Team’s efforts to ’technically determine’ the
centerline of the demilitarized border zone between the two
countries", she said.
Machar and his Sudanese counterpart reiterated in a joint statement on
1 July their commitment to implement fully the cooperation agreement
and particularly to not support the rebel groups from both sides.
She noted that the Sudanese government sent a letter on 7 July to the
head of the African Union mediation panel, Thabo Mbeki regarding the
flow of the South Sudanese oil, saying that "shutdown (of the
pipelines) would not be necessary" if South Sudan agrees to stop
harbouring and supporting rebels in Sudan".
DiCarlo said that the Council members consider the Machar-Taha
meetings "as a positive step" and stressed they are however concerned
by the continued disagreements between the two countries.
The 15 members in addition "underscored the importance of
operationalizing the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring
Mechanism (JBVMM)", she pointed out. The meeting also discussed the
need to resume the aerial reconnaissance flights conducted by the
UNISFA.
The border monitoring flights have been suspended since 14 June when
the rebel SPLM-N shelled Kadugli airport, which serves as a base for
the mission’s flights.
In her national capacity, the American diplomat, emphasised "the
importance of Sudan and South Sudan promptly implementing all of their
bilateral agreements, and in particular on the final status of the
Abyei Area". She further said Mbeki’s proposal on Abyei is "a fair and
pragmatic solution that protects the interests of all parties in
Abyei".
DiCarlo, also, called on the Sudanese government and the rebel SPLM-N
"to resume direct talks and ensure unhindered humanitarian access, a
cessation of hostilities, and a negotiated political settlement of the
conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile".
Asked by a journalist about allegations from some of the Council
members that Washington "is pulling its punches with South Sudan" the
acting ambassador who replaces for a time Susan Rice said "I would
reject the statement which you have made that we are soft on South
Sudan".
(ST)
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