Kiir describes differences with Khartoum as “minor and temporary”

April 7, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, has expressed satisfaction with stances of his Sudanese counterpart, Omer al-Bashir, on the ongoing crises in his country describing differences between the two countries as trivial and provisional.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir shakes hands with South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir (R), at Khartoum airport on 4 November 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Since the eruption of the South Sudanese conflict in December 2013 officials in Juba accused Khartoum of backing the rebel SPLM-In-Opposition led by the former vice-president Riek Machar.

In December 2014 and January 2015 the director of the Sudanese security and intelligence services and the defence minister respectively accused Juba of harbouring rebel groups particularly the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gibril Ibrahim.

Last week, Sudan’s presidential assistant, Ibrahim Ghandour, renewed accusations against the South Sudanese government that it is providing support to Sudanese rebel groups.

Kiir, who met with the Sudanese ambassador to Juba, Mutrif Sidiq, on the occasion of the end of his term, expressed deep regret for the departure of Sidiq, describing him as Juba’s brother and friend.

According to press statements on Tuesday, Sudan’s foreign ministry said that Kiir expressed appreciation for the valued opinions offered by Sidiq during his term, underscoring his absolute trust in Bashir and his first deputy, Bakri Hassan Salih.

“Were it not for the president’s [Bashir] courage, there would not have been a state named the republic of South Sudan.” Kiir said according to the statement of the foreign ministry.

The South Sudanese president also expressed satisfaction with Bashir’s stances towards the crisis in South Sudan and the role he played as a ’brother and a friend".

Kiir emphasised that intimate ties between his country and Sudan are inevitable, describing differences between the two countries on border issues and accusations of mutual support for rebel groups as “temporary and insignificant”.

He added those difference could easily be overcome if there is political will.

In the past, the two countries agreed to establish a buffer zone and form joint patrols supported by UN peacekeepers in Abyei, but they failed to identify a zero line to create a safe demarcated border zone.

Kiir said he made every possible effort to resolve the crisis in his country but the changing stances of his former vice-president, Riek Machar, prevented implementation of the agreements signed by the conflicting parties.

South Sudan’s government and rebel forces led by Machar have been engaged in an armed conflict since mid-December 2013 after a political dispute within the ruling SPLM party over reforms turned violent.

Ongoing negotiations, which are being mediated by IGAD, have so far failed to yield a lasting settlement to the crisis, with both parties coming under increasing international pressure to set aside their political differences and end the crisis.

Kiir emphasised that peace will be achieved very soon in South Sudan in spite of the many obstacles, vowing to exert the necessary efforts towards that end.

He stressed that his positive stances towards Sudan will not change, asking Sidiq to put South Sudan in his own agenda in his new location.

Sidiq, for his part, thanked Kiir for the fatherly and brotherly treatment he continued to receive from him during his work in Juba, stressing he would employ the social relations he built during his service for the interests of the two nations.

Sudanese embassy in Juba held a farewell party for Sidiq with wide participation from the government of South Sudan and diplomatic missions accredited to Juba besides representatives from the media, political parties and civil society organisations.

(ST)