The US Secretary of State John Kerry this week met with South Sudanese government officials and opposition leaders in Washington and urged the latter to return to the South Sudanese capital Juba in spite of their concerns about security guarantees in Juba and complaints that the South Sudanese president has already broken the agreement.

According to a political source who attended the meeting, Kerry stressed that SPLM-IO faction leader Riek Machar and SPLM-Former Detainees faction leader Pagan Amum should return to Juba in accordance with the terms of the new peace agreement. The Secretary apparently expects that this would add momentum to implementation of the peace agreement, the source explained.

Kerry encouraged the group led by Machar to agree to security measures proposed at a recent workshop in Addis Ababa in spite of objections that they have raised about the security situation in Juba, the source said.

Previously, the parties have disagreed about the number of presidential guards allowed for Salva Kiir, as well as the allowability of National Security Services forces in Juba.

Washington confirms meeting

The US State Department confirmed the meeting held Wednesday, saying in a statement that the purpose of the meeting was “to discuss ways of accelerating implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.”

The statement referred only indirectly to Kerry's position on Machar's return to Juba, saying that Kerry “urged the leaders to expeditiously finalize security arrangements for Juba, create institutions to oversee the permanent ceasefire, and ensure no unilateral actions undermine the agreement.”

The latter phrase was a veiled reference to the recent Establishment Order, a new presidential decree, which the opposition says violates the peace agreement because it divides South Sudan's ten constitutionally established states.

“Secretary Kerry affirmed that the United States stands ready to support implementation of the agreement provided the parties demonstrate their commitment to it by moving forward with implementation,” adds the US government statement.

For his part, Riek Machar blasted two senior US officials in an interview the day before the meeting.

Referring to a recent conversation with US Special Envoy Donald Booth, Machar accused the diplomat of naivete and one-sidedness saying, “He wants me to be slaughtered by Salva, then I would be a good person...”

“‘Go to Juba, sign your death,’” he added, mocking Booth’s suggestion he go back to Juba without security guarantees.

“Why would I return to a killing ground?”

Photo (from left to right): Former Ambassador to the USA Ezekiel Gatkuoth (SPLM-IO), Former Cabinet Minister Deng Alor (SPLM-FD), Vice President James Wani (SPLM-Juba), US Secretary of State John Kerry, Former Vice President Riek Machar (SPLM-IO), Ambassador to USA Garang Diing Akuong (SPLM-Juba), Former Deputy Defense Minister Majak D'Agoot (SPLM-FD).