The Jieng Council of Elders have welcomed recent agreements to resolve disputes over transitional security arrangement matters and other issues, Aldo Ajou Deng Akuei, a prominent member of the Jieng Council of Elders said on Thursday.

“The council has been advocating for peaceful dialogue as the best way to resolve political matters because from our experience, violence cannot and will never be a substitute for peaceful dialogue”, Ajou said.

Recently, a committee to review the number of states in the country was formed, and an agreement was reached over cantonment sites in Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr el Ghazal. Ajou said he was optimistic disputes would be resolved through dialogue.

“We are aware there are challenges because the agreement was not negotiated by the parties. It was an imposed agreement but I am optimistic these challenges will be overcome through peaceful dialogue”, Ajou said.

A recent meeting between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, was described as ‘calm’ by a presidential aide.

"The president wants this crisis to stop,” the aide said. “Tension will go down if they continue in this way and this positive action will build confidence of the international community,”

The Jieng Council of Elders is a group of influential politicians who serve as informal advisers to the president. It is not a council of traditional leaders.