Bashir and Kiir cooperate on timetable for agreements

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir with President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit have agreed on a timetable for the implementation of cooperation agreements signed between Khartoum and Juba by the end of this month. In a move highlighting the success of the summit held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the two leaders pledged to cooperate for the betterment of both nations.  
African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki and the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said that the summit succeeded in bringing about positive results by agreeing on a timetable for the enforcement of joint cooperation agreements by the end of this month.
Mbeki added that the summit discussed the issue of the disputed Abyei, in addition to the border and the implementation of agreements signed earlier between the two countries, notably the joint cooperation agreement and other agreements including the security arrangements.
He added that the summit assigned the African mediation to prepare a timetable for the implementation of those agreements.
The closing statement of the summit, prepared by the mediation team headed by Thabo Mbeki and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn was approved by Sudan and South Sudanese presidents.
According to the statement, al-Bashir and Salva Kiir will meet to determine the final status of the Abyei area after ending the procedures of the establishment of administrative and legislative councils and the police.
The Abyei protocol signed between the two parties in 2011, gives the presidency of the Joint Administrative Government to the State of South Sudan while the presidency of the Legislative Council of the Government of Sudan and the police are divided equally between the two sides.
The statement also indicated that the procedures of holding a referendum on region’s affiliation to Sudan or South Sudan will be outlined in the future.
The statement issued by the summit also said that the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir reiterated the directions issued by him before the independence of South Sudan regarding the disengagement between the militant Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and the Popular Army of his country.
Furthermore, the statement revealed that al-Bashir and Salva Kiir will meet immediately after completion talks regarding the disputed border areas.