Sudan urges for dialogue to end conflict in S. Sudan

Sudan on Monday reiterated its supportive stance to South Sudan’s stability and resolution to the armed conflict there through dialogue, noting that war would lead to uncalculated consequences, said Sudanese foreign minister.

“Sudan has declared a clear stance with its support to the stability in South Sudan and resolution to the issue between the rivals through dialogue,” Ali Karti told reporters upon return of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir from South Sudan after a short visit.

“President al-Bashir conveyed to his counterpart Salva Kiir a clear message that the war must end through dialogue, and that fighting could drag the South to unsafe consequences,” he said.

The minister noted that “We have advised our brothers in the South that the issues should be resolved through negotiation and reiterated that it is of the interest of Sudan that there is stability in the South and a strong government in Juba able to run the affairs of the State.”

Karti denied that al-Bashir’s visit to Juba was within a context of a Sudanese initiative, saying that “We do not have an independent initiative. We are part of the IGAD (Inter- Governmental Authority for Development) organization and the mediation team which is leading strenuous efforts in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.”

He stressed that Sudan is encouraging the two parties in South Sudan to begin the negotiations without any pre-conditions.

“The situation in the South cannot be resolved through pre- conditions and our view is that the negotiation process is to begin (first) and then if any party has demands, those demands are to be placed on the negotiation table,” noted Karti.

He expressed Sudan’s readiness to send technicians and experts in the oil field to secure the oil wells in the South if necessary, saying that “if that happens, it will be under the supervision of the South Sudanese government and not any other party.”

Karti, meanwhile, said Sudan’s readiness to open its borders to receive South Sudanese citizens who are fleeing from the battles in their country. “President al-Bashir has reiterated Sudan is ready to open its borders to receive any South Sudanese citizen, provided that they are not to stay at camps, but enter to any area in Sudan and exercise their life normally like any citizen.”

Al-Bashir on Monday visited the South Sudanese capital of Juba, holding closed-door talks with his counterpart Salva Kiir Mayardit on the security situations in the South.

During the past weeks, South Sudan has witnessed clashes between two military factions, one descending from the Dinka tribe, to which President Kiir belongs, and the other descending from the Nuer tribe, to which former vice President Riek Machar belongs.

The clashes have left more than 1,000 people dead and over 121, 600 civilians displaced, as well as some 63,000 others took refuge at various UN compounds around the country, according to UN reports.