Government and SPLM – North Continue Negotiations in Juba

The delegations of the transitional government and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) – North, led by Abdul-Aziz Al-Hillu, Wednesday continued negotiations at Palm Africa Hotel in Juba, in the presence of the head of South Sudan mediation, Tut Gulwak, and representative of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).

In a press statement, Gulwak said that the negotiations have discussed a number of political issues and points related to the security arrangements file, noting that the mediation has given the joint committees an opportunity to deliberate on these issues for the purpose of bringing close the views.

He said that the mediation has lifted the sitting of Wednesday to provide opportunity for the joint committees to achieve a common ground, referring to a sitting that would be held by the mediation with the heads of the two negotiating sides to achieve a framework agreement that paves the way for the peace aspired by all the people of Sudan.

In a press statement, the Cabinet Affairs Minister and spokesman of the government delegation, Khalid Omer, said that the sitting of Wednesday has heard proposals of the joint committees, pointing to a progress reached by the two parties on the controversial points.

He indicated that that the mediation will meet on Thursday with the heads of the two delegations to agree on ways to speed up the peace process and to agree on the remaining issues, stressing that determination and will are available for reaching a comprehensive and just peace that halts the war forever in Sudan.

The spokesman of the SPLM – North, Kuku Mohamed Jagdoul, expressed hope that the meetings of the joint committees and leaders of the two sides will contribute to bringing closer their views for reaching a comprehensive solution shortly