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Sudanese president highlights resolving Sudan-South Sudan issues via talks

02 October 2011 01:21 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Saturday stressed it is important to resolve the outstanding issues between his country and South Sudan through dialogue and negotiations and without any external mediations, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"There are many bonds between Sudan and South Sudan and the issues of difference should be settled through dialogue and without external mediations," al-Bashir told a conference of the external relations committee of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

He voiced Sudan’s willingness to establish normal ties with South Sudan on the bases of common interests, good neighborliness and mutual respect.

President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit is expected to visit the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Monday, accompanied by senior officials, to talk with Sudanese government officials.

The media reported Mayardit would review the outstanding issues between the two countries and sign memos of understanding with al- Bashir in the fields of petroleum, water, general and higher education, electricity, dams and health.

Sudan and South Sudan earlier agreed to open ten passages on their joint border to facilitate movement of citizens after the border was closed before the declaration of South Sudan independence on July this year.

Khartoum is accusing the newly born South Sudan state of supporting the rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas which are witnessing armed clashes between the Sudanese army and fighters of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)/ northern sector.