Machar Calls On Sudanese Opposition to Support Cooperation Agreements

President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of the Republic of Sudan with President Salva Kiir of the Republic of South Sudan in Juba during an official state visit. The two states are working to normalize relations., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

WEDNESDAY 3 JULY 2013

Machar calls on Sudanese opposition to support cooperation agreements

July 2, 2013 (KHARTOUM/JUBA) – South Sudan’s Vice President, Riek Machar, has appealed to the Sudan’s major political parties to support the implementation of the cooperation agreements between the two countries.

Marchar and his high level delegation to Khartoum held talks with the Sudanese top leaders over the pending pipeline closure which carries South Sudan’s oil to Port Sudan, and implementation of security agreement that Khartoum said Juba ignored its implementation and continues to support rebels..

The two delegations led by Machar and the first Vice President of Sudan, Ali Osman Taha, after two days of talks reached an understanding and issued a press statement on Monday recommitting the two countries to the full implementation of cooperation agreements.

While the fate of the relations between Sudan and South Sudan is being decided by the leaderships of the ruling parties of both countries, Machar thought it was necessary to reach out to the Sudanese opposition parties to support the process.

On Monday he met with Sadiq Al-Mahdi, leader of the Umma National party (UNP) during which the two leaders made public statements expressing the desire to build on good relations between Sudan and South Sudan.

The two Sudans, Machar said, have the longest border in Africa with over 2,000kms long, adding that such neighbours should make sure they have good relationships for the good of their citizens.

Though the two countries split two years ago the nomadic tribes from Sudan continue to cross into South Sudan to graze their cattle.

Machar also pointed out that there are eleven bordering states, five from South Sudan and six from Sudan. The majority of the Sudan’s populations come from these bordering states and that needs an atmosphere of cooperation, he pointed out.

There is need to have freedoms of movement, residence, ownership of property, etc between the two nations so that the citizens of the two countries can benefit from the cross-border economic activities, he said.

“If we did not survive as one country, we should now survive as two neighbouring sisterly countries,” he told the opposition leader who twice became the prime minister of the former Sudan.

On Tuesday, he met with the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Mohamed Osman Al-Mirgani, where he equally appealed to him to support the implementation of the cooperation agreements and promote bilateral relations.

The two governments of the two countries, he argued, should put the interest of their respective citizens first and not only work for the interest of a particular political party.

He also met with the leader of the Popular Congress Party (PCP), Hassan Al-Turabi, where the two leaders also discussed issues to do with building peaceful relations between Sudan and South Sudan.

In Khartoum, PCP political secretary Kamal Omer told reporters that the security service tried to prevent the meeting. He further added that Machar invited Turabi to visit Juba.

The UNP and DUP also announced that Mchar invited their leaders to visit Juba and develop relations with the SPLM.

The three political leaders who lead the major parties in Sudan commended the spirit of building good neighbourliness and expressed their political will to discourage conflicts between the two countries and support building of good relations.

The DUP participates in the government of president Omer AL-Bashir since the secession of South Sudan, but two others are in the opposition camp.

(ST)