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{{The United States special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth has said his country encouraged the government and rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) negotiators to reach an agreement during the recent round of talks in Addis Ababa.}}

Booth noted that he held separate meetings with both delegations to urge them to arrive at a peace deal.

According to Saturday’s issue of the pro-government al-Rayaam daily newspaper, Booth warned that war is the only alternative for negotiations, which he said is harmful for all parties.

He stressed that he sensed strong political will from both sides to achieve peace and pointed to the need for holding negotiations on humanitarian, political and security issues simultaneously, saying this would save time and shorten duration of suffering for the people in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

The US official further expressed satisfaction with the resumption of negotiations within 10 days but refrained from commenting on the proposal which the chair of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), Thabo Mbeki, has handed over to the warring parties.

“I do not want to prejudge positions of the concerned parties”, he said

Last Tuesday, Mbeki announced that talks between Sudan’s government and SPLM-N which sought to end the two-and-half-year conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile have been suspended for ten days.

He said the ten-day hiatus is meant to give delegates time to consult on proposals put forth by the AUHIP with their respective leaders.

“We have made these proposals to the parties with the suggestion that we should adjourn this present session of negotiations to give a possibility to the parties to consult with their principles about these proposals”, he said.

The AUHIP proposal calls for unconditional cessation of hostilities that must be activated within 7 days from the date of signing the peace deal.

It also demands both parties not to move or boost troops or occupy new positions besides stopping all violent acts against civilians, aid workers and their properties.

The proposal further asks conflicting parties to control armed militias as well as controlling their troops in areas under their control, demanding resolving conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile through negotiations on the basis of the frame work agreement signed on June 28, 2011.

The June agreement provides for an inclusive constitutional process to address the historical question, how Sudan is going to be governed, with the participation of all stakeholders, political parties and civil society organizations in a national constitutional conference.

The AUHIP proposal also calls upon both parties to work with all Sudanese stakeholders towards engaging in a comprehensive national dialogue to achieve the democratic transformation and the constitutional reform, proposing formation of joint political, security, and humanitarian committees to continue dialogue among all Sudanese forces.

It underscored the right of the SPLM-N to be registered and carry out its activities as a political party according to the law.

The Blue Nile and South Kordofan’s conflict erupted months apart from each other in 2011 when Sudan attempted to forcibly disarm SPLM-N fighters it accuses of being backed by their brother-in-arms in the South Sudanese army.

{sudantribune}

{{The South Sudanese government has strongly dismissed reports alleging that is was harbouring Sudanese rebels in the country to help it fight dissent forces loyal to its former vice-president, Riek Machar.}}

“There is nothing like that. We do not have foreign forces hostile to their governments inside the territory of the republic of South Sudan. If there is something which the Sudanese press wants to cover with these unfounded allegations, then they should say it,” South Sudan presidential spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny told media.

The presidential spokesperson was reacting to an article published on Sudan Vision, a government newspaper, Saturday entitled “Juba, Sudanese Rebel Movements, What Then”. The article said Sudanese rebel groups now want a recompense after taking part in the fight against Machar’s forces.

“The important question what is the future of the Sudanese rebel groups which fought along the South Sudanese government? The Sudanese rebel movements are waiting for political reward from the South Sudanese government for engagement in the fighting”, said the report.

“Actually we do not want to point fingers though we believe the rebels of Riek Machar are getting foreign support,” he added, stressing the significance of the September 2012 Cooperation Agreement between Sudan and South Sudan.

“We cannot do that,” the spokesperson said, denying that his government provides any support to the Sudanese rebel groups. He stressed that the two countries have agreed to work together for peace and stability for the mutual benefits and other interests to their citizens and the region.

“If we want foreign support from foreign forces as an independent state, and we think Sudan is the right country, we will approach the government of Sudan as we did with the government of Uganda for military supports,” he said.

Sudan, despite its previous accusations against Juba, announced its support to the elected president Salva Kiir. The Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir visited Juba on 6 January where he announced his support to his South Sudan counterpart.

However Khartoum has shown some frustration from the presence of Ugandan troops in the South Sudan. Museveni is seen as seeking to destabilise Bashir’s regime. Kampala harbours the Sudanese rebel groups and accused of providing them military training and weapons.

The South Sudanese rebels during the past weeks accused the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement of participating with the SPLA forces in the recapture of the capital of Unity state, Bentiu. But JEM rebels strongly dismissed the accusations.

The spokesperson of South Sudan army (SPLA) equally refuted allegations of being supported by Sudanese rebels, describing them as “unfounded statements on rebel propaganda”

“The Sudanese press should observe the growing relations between the two countries and report accordingly. They should not rely on the media reports based on propaganda statements by the rebels about the alleged presence of the Sudanese rebels,” Col. Philip Aguer told Sudan Tribune.

“First of all, we have said time and again that there are no Sudanese rebels in the Republic of South Sudan, let alone the unfounded allegations that they are fighting alongside us. The rebel themselves have issued repeated statements clarifying these allegations, yet the Sudanese press continue to ignore these for reasons best known to them”, he added.

The military officer did not, however, hint on whether South Sudan government would request an explanation from Sudanese authorities about persistent reports that its army provides support to Machar rebels currently fighting forces loyal to President Kiir.

{sudantribune}