The minister for foreign affairs called on the Khartoum government not to violate the UN resolution and resume talks immediately with Juba without preconditions.
Nhial Deng Nhial was on Bakhita’s Wake up Juba programme Tuesday morning. He said Khartoum is holding chief mediator Thabo Mbeki for the last four days trying to set its own agenda.He said the agenda should be discussed in the talks and not prior to them.
The minster told Mr Mbeki to go ahead and set the date and venue for the talks to resume giving room for the parties to discuss their agendas but not to work outside that framework.
Mr Deng said South Sudan stands to respect the UN Security Council resolution on South Sudan and Sudan.
He added that Mr Mbeki is undermining the resolution if he keeps on discussing with Khartoum the agenda for the resumption of talks.
Mr Deng appealed to the international community and the UN Security Council to stand firm in making sure preliminary negotiations are not used to buy time.
The foreign affairs minister made these statements one day after Mr Mbeki met President Salva Kiir and other government top officials to discuss ways to resume the negotiations on pending issues between the governments of Juba and Khartoum.