Sudan, S. Sudan fail to reach agreement on zero line: official

November 28, 2013 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and South Sudan are still diverging over the zero line which is proposed by the African Union mediation since last year to determine the baseline for the demilitarized security zone between Sudan and South Sudan.

Security delegations held their fifth meeting in Khartoum on 26-27 November where they agreed on matters related to the support and harbouring to rebel groups. The two parties however failed to progress on the operationalisation of the buffer zone because they continue to disagree on the zero line.

The joint security committee rapporteur, Al-Moiz Farouq, stated on Thursday that the two delegations still diverge on the identification of the zero line.

Farouq further said the joint mechanism nonetheless agreed to hold a meeting with the participation of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan (AUHIP) in order to resolve the thorny difference.

Sudan and South Sudan are still negotiating border demarcation.

The UN Security Council and African Union, who endorsed the proposal of zero line, clearly stated that the zero line will in no way prejudice any final resolution of disputed areas and demarcation of the contested 1,800-km border.

However, the Northern Bahr el Ghazal government and its community of the Malwal Dinka reject the inclusion of the disputed area of 14 Mile saying this land cannot be claimed by Khartoum government.

As the parties agreed to establish the buffer zone on the disputed areas, Khartoum claims that Juba still rejects to include some parts of the 14 Mile in the demilitarised zone.

(ST)