South Sudan accuses Sudan of stealing oil

JUBA, South Sudan, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- South Sudan's oil minister charged north Sudan was stealing its country's crude oil and threatened to sue any country or company that bought the oil.

Stephen Dhieu Dau, minister of petroleum and mining, said Sudan had "unilaterally decided to impose economic sanction[s] by blocking export" of the crude oil and "stealing our oil," the Sudan Times reported.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July, taking three-fourths of Sudan's known oil wealth, and the countries have not negotiated a fee for the South to export its oil using north Sudan's infrastructure.

The South threatened last week to sue Khartoum over its decision to impose monthly charges on crude oil transported through its pipelines.

The two countries are scheduled to resume bilateral talks this month.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir accused South Sudan last week of not negotiating in good faith and not paying fees use of north Sudan's facilities.

The Sudan Times said South Sudan is considering building a pipeline to Kenya that would eliminate the need to use north Sudan's infrastructure but the pipeline wouldn't be completed for years.

The two countries have yet to reach agreement on oil, assets, debt, citizenship and the new border.

Most of the oil fields are near the border, and South Sudan has accused Khartoum of arming South Sudanese rebel groups to destabilize the new country and reclaim control of the oil fields in Unity State, one of the 10 states of South Sudan.