The AU sponsored negotiations conducted in Addis Ababa on the Abyei crisis last week ended without any agreement although media reports indicated that the two presidents had agreed to demilitarize the area.
Reuters reported on Sunday that an anonymous diplomat said President Omar Al-Bashir agreed to withdraw his troops from Abyei and approved the deployment of Ethiopian force to the area.On Monday, the minister in the office of the President Cirino Hiteng told the press that no agreement was reached over Abyei by Mr. Kiir and Mr. Al-Bashir.
GoSS spokesman Barnaba Benjamin Marial confirmed to SCR News that although some issues were discussed orally there was no signed agreement between the two presidents which made the meeting unsuccessful.
He added that the African Union should clarify their position on a deal without any agreement.
Asked about the SPLA clashes with SAF in Abyei on Wednesday Dr. Marial said that the Southern troops acted in self-defense because the SAF tried to cross into the South Sudan territory.
He added that President Salva Kiir said there would not be any retaliation over the Abyei occupation and that the SPLA would only react if the northern forces tried to enter South Sudan territory.
Dr. Marial said South Sudan remained committed to peace.
Minister Hiteng told reporters on Monday that the SPLM had demanded SAF’s unconditional withdrawal from Abyei and its replacement with Ethiopian troops representing the UN.
He added that the NCP insisted that a SAF brigade should remain in the contested region.
The NCP also wanted a new Abyei administration in place staffed by the two peace partners and led by a chief administrator nominated by Khartoum.
Mr. Hiteng said that none of those demands were accepted.