By Dennis Otim

21^st May 2012:

The African Union’s mediator in the Sudan crisis Mr Thabo Mbeki has said Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir is committed to security agreements with South Sudan.

The former South African president has been in Khartoum to attempt to restart negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan.  He told reporters that President Bashir “confirmed that he believes the two nations are in need of peace.”

Mr Mbeki is expected to travel to South Sudan to speak to leaders in Juba.  Heavy fighting between Sudan and the new nation of South Sudan over territorial disputes brought them to the verge of war last month.

According to a United Nations Security Council resolution, talks aimed at resolving the dispute should have started last week, but the two sides have balked at returning to the negotiating table.

South Sudan – which only seceded from its northern neighbour last year – previously said it is prepared to talk without preconditions, while Sudan has said it wants negotiations to focus on demarcating borders.

Although Sudan will not withdraw its troops from disputed areas until the borders are formally set, Mbeki said Khartoum was now ready to heed to one of the UN’s key demands, namely, to create a 10km buffer zone on the border between the two states.

More sticking issues

While Sudan accepted the UN’s resolution, it also insisted that the issue of security and particularly Juba’s alleged support for northern rebels be tackled first before they move to other items.

The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) External Relations Secretary Ibrahim Ghandour told reporters after the lengthy Mbeki-Bashir meeting that the Sudanese leader underscored the importance of reaching a permanent peace with South Sudan that guarantees no more attacks on its territory.

Last month the Sudanese army managed to recapture the oil-rich region of Heglig inside South Kordofan after South Sudan army (SPLA) briefly seized it.  South Sudan claims the oilfield falls within its territory, although the exact location of the border had not been determined by the time South Sudan gained independence last July.

Bashir also told Mbeki that rapprochement with Juba requires ceasing support to rebels, halting attacks near borders, honouring previous border monitoring accords, and withdrawing what Khartoum claims to be the presence of 9th and 10th SPLA divisions inside Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, where the Sudan army has been battling rebels from SPLA-North (SPLA-N) since last year.

Approximately 15,000 Southerners have been asked to leave Sudan and move to the new state of South Sudan.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.