Sudan, S. Sudan agree to establish buffer zone, open border crossings

KHARTOUM, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Sudan and South Sudan on Friday agreed to establish a buffer zone on their joint border, demarcate the Zero line and open border crossings before the end of 2018, Sudan's official SUNA news agency reported.

Sudan and South Sudan on Friday concluded military talks, where the two countries' chiefs of staff signed the minutes of the talks before developing them into a memorandum of understanding for military cooperation.

"The talks were held under appropriate circumstances that allow boosting the military cooperation between the two countries to reach common understandings and pave the way for a great breakthrough in a number of outstanding issues," Lt. Gen. Kamal Abdul-Marouf Al-Mahi, Sudanese Army's chief of joint staff, was quoted in the report as saying.

For his part, Gen. Gabriel Jok Riak, chief of staff of South Sudan's Army, reiterated his country's full commitment to what has been agreed on, the report said.

"What has been reached is considered a strong push on the course of the two countries' bilateral political and military relations. These talks constituted a new breakthrough in various areas of military cooperation and means of strengthening and developing them further," he said.

Riak started a visit to Sudan five days ago, where he held talks with his Sudanese counterpart and met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and National Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Awad ibn Auf.

Sudan and South Sudan signed a deal in 2012 on security arrangements stipulating withdrawal of the two countries' troops for 10 km north and south of the zero line agreed on to establish a demilitarized zone on the joint border.