Defense Minister lauds efforts of S. Sudan in support of peace

Juba,  (SUNA) – Minister of Defense and head of the Sudanese side in the joint political and security mechanism with the Republic of South Sudan Lieutenant-General Yassin Ibrahim Yassin has affirmed that the Sudanese government and people highly value the great efforts made by His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the mediation committee to achieve sustainable peace in Sudan.

He added that the joint political and security mechanism, and its subcommittees, had been working throughout the previous period, to strengthen the relations of the two brotherly countries, to reach the stage of stability and constructive cooperation, in accordance with the principle of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of the two countries.

The Minister said in the meeting of the joint political and security mechanism in Juba yesterday “we are witnessing a distinguished period in the relations of our two brotherly countries,” calling for expediting realization of the aspirations of the two peoples and to make the signed agreements, a basis from which they proceed with a new spirit, mutual trust and sincere intentions, pointing to the summit meeting that took place last August between President Salva Kiir and Prime Minister Dr. Abdalla Hamdouk.

He said Sudan and South Sudan have strategic relations at the official and popular levels, referring to the cooperation agreement signed between the two countries in Addis Ababa earlier, hoping the meeting would reach results that help implement what was agreed upon at the summit meeting in order to make their long borders a model for stability and exchange of benefits.

The Minister noted that there are some outstanding issues that require solutions between the two countries, stressing importance of expediting their resolutions, and on top of them come the issues of border demarcation and Abyei, affirming that these issues should not pose impediments for joint cooperation and realization of the interests of the two peoples.

He reaffirmed their commitment to what was done in the previous Khartoum meeting and its decisions.

The minister stressed Sudan’s readiness for full joint cooperation in implementing what benefits the peoples of the countries and secures their sovereignty and territorial integrity, in implementation of the interests of the one people in two brotherly countries