Sudan lauds AU for handling Sudan-South Sudan dispute - Afrique en Ligue

Khartoum, Sudan - Sudan has expressed its satisfaction at the African Union Peace and Security Council's (AUPSC's) decision to ensure that the dispute between Juba and Khartoum is handled at the continental level, rather than allow foreign intervention.

The Sudanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs described the decision as “a success” of its diplomacy and blamed the “stubbornness” of Juba in the negotiations to pressure being allegedly exerted on it by the US and Israel.

Ministry spokesman Obaid Ahmed Murawah said in a statement to the Sudanese Media Centre (SMC) Tuesday that he was referring to a decision by the AUPSC allowing the two countries six months to resolve their dispute over the implementation of previously-concluded agreements before taking the issue up to the UN Security Council.

He said the 'stubborn attitude' displayed by the South Sudanese delegation to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, talks was an attempt to ensure that the dispute is referred to the UN Security Council “in accordance with the American strategy.”

However, Murawah said the Sudanese diplomacy “has managed to lead an active campaign that has contributed to the recent (AUPSC) decision.”

He said Africans were “more capable than international institutions” of resolving their disputes, however complicated those disputes could be.

He said the AUPSC was convinced of Sudan's sincerity in the negotiations and desire in establishing good relations with South Sudan, and has therefore extended to six months the period for the two countries to implement the agreements away from the UN Security Council Resolution that threatens imposition of Chapter Seven, in case Khartoum and Juba failed to resolve their dispute.

Pana 29/01/2013