South Sudan weclomes political agreement by Sudanese parties: spokesperson

JUBA, July 8 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan said on Monday the recent political consensus reached between the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the opposition is crucial for Juba's stability since Khartoum is among the key guarantors.

Mawien Makol Ariik, foreign ministry spokesperson, welcomed the political agreement reached on Friday between the TMC and the opposition Freedom and Change Alliance on establishing transitional authorities to jointly govern Sudan after several stalemates.

"It's a great achievement and our support is with the Sudanese people. This means that stability in Sudan will be good that will guarantee the peace (deal) that we are now implementing and our support is crucial because they will be able to work on our issues that we are stranded on because of the crisis," Makol told Xinhua in Juba.

The revitalized peace deal signed in September 2018 in Ethiopia was mediated by former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir under auspices of the regional body, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to end more than five years of conflict.

The peace deal signed between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, the leader of the main rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army in opposition (SPLA-IO), is largely holding.

Makol added that they support the deal agreed upon by the two protagonists in the wake of violence on the streets of Khartoum pitting protestors against the TMC.

"We are actually happy to see the Sudanese people reach that agreement and we support the agreement that they have reached so far," said Makol.

Oil-dependent South Sudan relies on Sudan's infrastructure to transport its crude through Port Sudan.

The two countries also share the longest border between them and signed several agreements on border security and oil after South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 following decades of civil war.