By Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan, Special for USDR
With reference to the Resolution of Sudan’s Government dated 17 March 2016, to deal with South Sudanese nationals living in Sudan as foreigners (more than 300,000 South Sudanese fleeing war in South Sudan), the Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan in Washington D.C would like to confirm that Sudan has always been committed to lead normal and cooperative bilateral relations with the Republic of South Sudan.
Based on this very belief, President Omar Al-Bashir has directed Sudanese relevant authorities on January 21, 2016, to review the economic cooperation including renegotiating oil transit fees with South Sudan, a step that was followed by President Salvakiir’s decision to normalize relations with Sudan and withdraw the SPLA Forces from the border line between the two countries. These mutual positive steps were crowned on January 27th, 2016, by President Al-Bashir’s Decree to open borders with South Sudan.
Almost two months have passed since President Salvakiir’s decision to withdraw the SPLA Forces, yet practically, nothing happened on the ground and the said forces are still there. Furthermore, none of the mechanisms agreed upon by the two parties has been implemented, not even the Joint Political and Security Mechanism which is basically meant to address the concerns related to supporting rebels in both countries. The meetings of this key mechanism – since October 2015– have four times been delayed upon the request of South Sudan
Unfortunately, all the steps, that Sudan has taken to make bridges between Khartoum and Juba as well as enhancing the unbreakable bonds and ties between the two nations, -all of these positive steps- have been disregarded by the Government of South Sudan which kept supporting and sheltering Sudanese rebels.
That South Sudan is supporting the Sudanese Rebels is not – by any means- a created story as allegedly suggested by the Government of South Sudan. This support is no more a secret, for it is recognized by both the regional entities and International Community. In fact, the last public meeting of the SPLM-North was held in Juba this very month.
The regionally and Internationally brokered agreement, in August 2014, for the settlement of the ongoing conflict inSouth Sudan included in Paragraph 6, of its Second Chapter’s First Article, concerned with Permanent Cease Fire and Security Arrangements, which reads “The warring parties agree that all non-state security actors including, but not limited to Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SPLM-North, JEM, SLA-Minawi, SLA-Abdulwahid) shall be disarmed, demobilized and repatriated by the state actors with whom they have been supporting within the Pre-Transitional Period.”
If this issue of supporting Sudanese rebels has not urgently been addressed, Sudan may find itself obliged to take strong measures including closing borders with South Sudan, to protect its national security and interests.
Yet, because of the ever-lasting mutual interests between the two nations, Sudan remains committed to lead normal and strategic relations with South Sudan. To do so, the government of the South Sudan -if serious- should know that normalizing relations between the two countries, indispensably requires full implementation of what has been agreed upon by the leadership of the two countries.
Embassy of Sudan Press and Information Office, phone: +1-202-338-8565, or fax: +1-202-667-2406
SOURCE Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan
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