The President of the Republic of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit has confirmed the commitment of his government to negotiate with Sudan and ensure that south Sudan continue flow through Sudan. “We are pursuing negotiation with Sudan to let South Sudan oil continues flow through Sudan territory” Kiir said. Kiir confirmed that Sudan has extended the deadline to shutdown the oil flow. Despite of the hope to negotiations, Kiir asked the Ministry of Petroleum to reduce oil output as it prepares to halt pipeline exports through neighboring Sudan along with plot accusation between the South Sudan and Sudan.
Kiir said that the decision to shut down the oil flow will undermine the progress of the corporation agreements. He said that Khartoum allegations on South Sudan lack credible evidence. He rather said that south Sudan has all evidence about Sudan is supporting insurgences in South Sudan. “We have proves from the weapons we captured from the rebels and even the rebels who arrested to the government of South Sudan have accepted that Khartoum had been backing them” Kiir said.
The reasons to halt the oil flow were that the Government of South Sudan is supporting Sudan People Liberation Army North in Southern Kordofan and Nuba Mountains.
The Government of Sudan under the Leadership of President Omar Hassan El-Bashir on the 11th June 2013 has officially written a letter to its counterpart the government over its decision to suspend all cooperation agreements and to halt oil flow through Sudan within 60 days from the effect of 9th June 2013.
“We have received an official communication from Sudan Government particularly from the Ministry of Petroleum to shutdown the oil flow through Sudan within 60 days from the effect of 9th June” the Undersecretary in the south Sudan ministry of petroleum Mr. Machar Achiek said.
The Sudan two months warning was to end on the 9th August, but Sudan has extended to the 28th to allow room for decisions.
The Director General of Petroleum Mr. Mohamed Lino said that South Sudan has started selling its crude oil on 21st June. He said that the oil is still flow to Port despite of Sudan decision to halt the oil flow.
The letter was a follow up of President Omar El-Bashir on the 9th at public address in Khartoum has instructed Sudan Ministry of Petroleum to close oil business with South Sudan. Bashir said that the reasons were that the Government of South Sudan is supporting Sudan People Liberation Army North in Southern Kordofan and Nuba Mountains. According to Bashir, South Sudan did not compile with the requirement to stop backing up Sudan rebels against his regime.
