Sudan reaffirms its support to IGAD efforts for south Sudan conflict

President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al Bashir, Sunday reaffirmed Sudan support to the efforts being exerted by the Inter-governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) to achieve a peaceful settlement for the conflict in South Sudan, stressing that dialogue is the only means for reaching this end.
This came when President Al-Bashir received Sunday at the Guest House Dr. Riek Machar, the former Vice - President of South Sudan State, who arrived in Khartoum on Sunday within the context of the efforts exerted by IGAD to end the conflict in South Sudan.
Dr. Riek Machar told reporters following his call on the President of the Republic that he was visiting Sudan within the context of a tour that to IGAD member states, namely Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia.
He said he has briefed the President of the Republic, Omer Al-Bashir, on the negotiation process between the two parties in the conflict in South Sudan during their Addis Ababa talks, indicating that IGAD has given the two sides a deadline of 60 days to reach a negotiated peaceful settlement to the conflict which ends today, Sunday.
Dr. Machar said that his meeting with President Al-Bashir is of particular significance given to the fact that President Al-Bashir was the head of the Sate of Sudan before the separation of South Sudan, and that his advice and thoughts would be useful with regard to the issue of South Sudan.
He commended Sudan's role and its participation within the IGAD team involved in the negotiations, hosted by Ethiopia.
He stressed that his side has wanted to hold direct talks with the government of South Sudan, taking into consideration the vision the stakeholders in this regard, but the IGAD team insisted on a round table talks. He said this would take longer time.
He said his side believes that direct talks with the government of south Sudan would lead to a peaceful settlement within a short time.
He said their stands was similar to the situation within Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) negotiation where people first reached agreement on the underlining causes of the conflict, a priori, then they formed an interim government, followed by the drafting of an interim constitution.
He stressed that he relies much on the role that President Omer Al-Bashir could play with his IGAD counterparts to give a push for the Addis Ababa peaceful negotiations. He said President Bashir has advised him to boost the negotiated peace efforts and to work for that end.
Dr Machar said he has been telling the international community that an agreement should be reached before embarking on the formation of an interim government in South Sudan and that such a government should have a specific program which it would work to implement.
Machar pinpointed to the huge influx of south Sudanese people to the Sudan and that those persons need humanitarian assistance. He said some 60thousand people have crossed the borders from south Sudan into the Sudan.
He said this was one of the issues he discussed with the President who gave instruction that those people should be provided with necessary assistance and humanitarian assistance.