Addis Ababa (AFP) - South Sudan's government and opposition were set to open a fresh round of talks Tuesday aimed at forging a political solution to the young nation's nearly two-month-old conflict.
Fighting between forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar erupted on December 15, sparking heavy clashes across the country that have left thousands dead and displaced close to 900,000 people.
The two sides signed a ceasefire agreement on January 23, but sporadic fighting has continued since then across the country -- the world's youngest nation which won independence from Khartoum in 2011.
The latest round of talks, which had been due to start on Monday, is expected to include seven former detainees who were freed by President Kiir and who will form a delegation independent of the government and rebel teams.
"They would rather stand as a third bloc, they don't want to be participating on the side of the government or on the side of the... opposition," said Seyoum Mesfin, chief mediator from IGAD, a regional bloc which is brokering the talks.
"They rather would like us to prepare a sort of triangular table for their negotiations," Seyoum said.
[1]Map detailing the refugee and Internally Displaced Persons situation in South Sudan (AFP Photo/)
The rebel side said Monday they would not participate in the talks until four remaining prisoners are released, but later backpedalled saying they would attend.
"We will go the meeting today... I think we need a solution," rebel spokesman Yohanis Musa Pouk told AFP ahead of the meeting, adding that Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn –- current IGAD chair -– had urged his team to participate.
The latest talks will address the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan and seek to forge a lasting political solution.
The parties are also expected to discuss the withdrawal of foreign troops from South Sudan, which has been another major stumbling block.
The opposition has called for all foreign forces, namely from Uganda, to exit, while Kiir has insisted Ugandan troops were required in the capital to protect critical infrastructure such as the airport and presidential palace.
On Monday, Hailemariam urged for the gradual exit of all foreign troops from the country in order to avoid a regional dispute, a call echoed by IGAD.
"We don't want South Sudan to be a place where external actors express that they have national interests... by intervening in the conflict with South Sudan," Seyoum said.
"That would be a nightmare to think, a nightmare for the people of South Sudan and a nightmare for the region," he added.
- Politics & Government
- South Sudan
References
- ^ Map detailing the refugee and Internally Displaced … (news.yahoo.com)
Source http://news.yahoo.com/south-sudan-peace-talks-set-open-ethiopia-135653651.html
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