South Sudan peace talks resume today

SPLM-G10 member Oyai Deng Ajak told Radio Tamazuj that peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia would resume Monday morning after a break Sunday.

SPLM-G10 member Oyai Deng Ajak told Radio Tamazuj that peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia would resume Monday morning after a break Sunday.

He said the viewpoints of the warring parties during Friday and Saturday meetings were far apart, but they will continue negotiating with a view to reaching an understanding before the 17 August deadline set by IGAD-Plus.

IGAD-Plus comprises the regional bloc, African Union, United Nations, a consortium of African nations, the Troika of US, UK, and Norway, and China.

South Sudanese Minister of Information and Broadcasting Michael Makuei said the two parties disagree over power-sharing ratios in Upper Nile region, demilitarization of Juba city, and the constitutional review commission.

The spokesman said the government categorically rejects those provisions. He added that the negotiators decided to refer the disagreed points to the two principals and later to the upcoming IGAD-Plus summit on 17 August.

Makuei warned against an imposed peace agreement on South Sudan, saying it could exacerbate the situation like what had happened in Libya.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has recently written a position letter to the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. Kiir threatened that his government will never accept an imposed peace deal with the armed opposition faction.

President Kiir rejected the proposed power sharing arrangement and ratios that allocates 53% of power to the rebels in greater Upper Nile region.