The Governments of Sudan and South Sudan are starting tomorrow in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a new round of talks on post-independence issues amid tensions growing between Juba and Khartoum over oil.
The meeting goes from tomorrow until Monday and the delegations are expected to deal with oil, border, Abyei and nationality issues.
Khartoum is demanding from Juba a fee of 35 US dollars for every barrel of oil exported through its infrastructure.
Juba, following the advice of the African Union Panel, prefers to offer Khartoum a 2.6 billion dollars financial package and pay 74 cents of the dollar for every barrel of oil.
Last week, the government of Khartoum ordered a Chinese company to load a Sudanese ship with 650,000 barrels of South Sudanese crude without permission. The cargo was valued at over 650 million US dollars.
A government spokesman said the crude was diverted to pay for South Sudan’s use of Sudan’s oil infrastructure.
The status of over 700,000 Southerners living in the Sudan when the period of grace ends in April is another issue to be discussed.
UN commissioner for refugees, Antonio Guterres, last week asked both governments to negotiate a humane and dignified solution to transport Southerners who want to return to South Sudan.
He urged Khartoum to issue legal documents to the ones who prefer to remain in the Sudan.