Preparatory meetings for the next round of South Sudan’s peace talks are still continuing in Addis Ababa, contradicting reports that the SPLM-Juba delegation of Salva Kiir has withdrawn its delegation.
A joint committee of negotiators has been continuing discussions on economic and security issues, as well as the issue of functions of the proposed prime minister during the transitional period, according to a negotiator of the SPLM-G10 faction.
SPLM-G10 representative and former justice minister John Luk told Radio Tamazuj on Monday, “The delegation of the government are all here.”
Asked about the reported recall by Salva Kiir of his negotiators, John Luk said the question should be directed to the government delegation itself, but noted, “They are still here with us – they have not left.”
He said he expected the IGAD Summit of Heads of State to take place this coming Thursday, 6 November, noting that Kiir and Riek Machar may meet on the sidelines of the summit.
On Sunday the Presidential Spokesman Ateny Wek said that Kiir “decided to recall our negotiating team” in protest of recent attacks on Bentiu, while claiming the withdrawal of the delegation was done with permission of the chief mediator.
File photo: Salva Kiir and Riek Machar agreed on 9 May 2014 to end the conflict in South Sudan