S. Sudan urges Sudan not to threaten implementation of agreements

ADDIS ABABA. South Sudan has called on Sudan not to threaten the implementation of agreements, including oil agreement reached between the two neighboring countries in September last year.Pagan Amum, Chief Negotiator of South Sudan, made the remarks on Thursday in Addis Ababa while briefing reporters, focusing on the recent announcement by Sudan to stop oil exportation of South Sudan through Sudan’s infrastructure.South Sudan is surprised by the statement of Sudan threatening oil shut down, said the negotiator. “The oil agreement is very clear; the terms are very clear and its implementation should not be conditioned to other things,” said Amum. The two countries after suppression have been engaged in negotiations and reached agreements in September last year. And that agreement, we have resolved most of the outstanding issues, and we have reached agreement for the flow of oil of South Sudan through Sudan.”We have also reached agreements on security arrangements that include the commitment by the two countries to establish a safe border demilitarized zone, and to cease support of rebels or harboring rebels against each other. And the parties have also reached agreement to resolve the disputed and claimed border areas through a mechanism,” recalled the official. “These agreements, the parties have agreed to implement them in a coordinated manner in a matrix. And we signed this matrix in this hotel in Addis Ababa the 12th of March this year,” he added.Amum also recalled that the two countries have agreed if they have complaint of support of rebels by the other state, the process is to submit the complaint to the Joint Military and Political Mechanism which form an ad hoc committee to investigate such claim.Sudan has been supporting rebels in South Sudan, he said, adding that South Sudan is preparing to submit the complaint to the mechanism, which he said is the procedure his country is following. Stating that the conflict in Sudan is internal matter, Amum noted that it should be settled through negotiation.”We call on the government of Sudan to find a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Sudan; and call on the government of Sudan to recommit themselves to fully implement the agreements we have signed.