Breakthrough in Addis Talks Depends on Changing the Current South Sudan Delegation

Khartoum – Success on the upcoming round of talks between Sudan and South Sudan in Addis Ababa depends on reconsideration of formation of the latter’s negotiating team, National Congress Party (NCP) leading figure has said.Prof. Ibrahim Ghandour, who is also the NCP Spokesperson, indicated that previous round of talks had failed because South Sudan delegation was not willing to arrive at an agreement and the delegation members harboured ill-intent towards Sudan and their leader is also notorious of his hostility towards the North and the Arabs.“President Al Bashir told Kiir on the AU summit sidelines that Pagan Amum was not the right person to lead a delegation to achieve an agreement,” he said, adding Pagan is a warlord who has no interest for peace and does not care about what happens to our people in the North and the South as he has no sense of belonging to this land, his family and money are abroad.

Ghandour, however, pointed out that the Sudanese Government cannot interfere in the process of how the South selects its delegation but if it wants to achieve peace with Sudan it should alter its delegation members.

He said the recent attack by South Sudan on Sudan would overshadow the coming talks.

“This aggression which is reported to the Security Council makes it clear that South Sudan has no intention to reach an agreement,” he said, in an exclusive statement to Sudan Vision, adding that Sudan will deal with an open heart to reach an agreement but such agreement should be based on good neighbourliness and common cooperation.

Ghandour denied any move for talks with rebels in South Kordofan and the Blue Nile State.

“The leaders of insurgency in these areas are supported by the army of South Sudan so it is a war on the state and the people rather than a war on the government or the regime so the issue of dialogue is out of the question unless the war stops”, he said, affirming Sudan Government’s commitment to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) including the Popular Consultations and reintegration of SPLA personnel in the North in accordance with the agreement.

Ghandour has expressed displeasure over the international community bias, saying “it is supporting one party at the expense of the other and talk about the need for aid delivery and forget that the solution lies in stopping aggression on Sudan”.

“Sudan is now defending its land and people in the face of aggression. It is a matter of defense the Sudanese Armed Forces are undertaking, backed by the NCP, the people and all nationalist and political forces,” he said.

By Mona Al-Bashir