South Sudan slams U.S. threats of sanctions over stalled talks

JUBA, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Wednesday said the United States should consider giving peace talks more time rather than threaten more sanctions on both warring parties.

"The talks are coming up, we don't expect them to be imposed on us. Any country that wishes to help South Sudan should not impose sanctions. These sanctions will not be helpful," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Mawien Makol revealed in Juba in the wake of Michael Morrow, the U.S. Embassy's charge d'affaires warning of more harsh measures for peace saboteurs.

According to local media reports, Morrow revealed that the Trump administration is considering further imposing arms embargo, economic and banking restrictions on South Sudan leaders if the upcoming peace talks fail.

In July, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned and effected asset freeze on three senior South Sudan army officials it said carried out violations and were obstructing peace efforts as the more than three years of violence raged on.

"Why don't they (U.S.) wait for the upcoming peace talks to yield results before talk of sanctions," Makol added.

Since 2015, the U.S. efforts in the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on the war-torn country have been futile and the High-Level Peace Revitalization Forum launched in July by the regional leaders are seen as the last chance to end the war.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy turned rebel chief Riek Machar led to split within the SPLA, leaving soldiers to fight alongside ethnic lines.

The 2015 peace agreement to end the conflict was weakened after outbreak of renewed fighting in July 2016 caused the SPLA-in opposition rebel leader Machar to flee the capital.