China supports efforts to end Sudan disputes

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir received a verbal message from his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, discussing bilateral relations and ways to strengthen and develop them. The message was conveyed by Chinese Special Envoy to Africa, Zhong Jianhua, during a meeting with President al-Bashir on Wednesday. Talks during the meeting dealt with bilateral relations and issues of common concern, and the Chinese role in supporting stability between Sudan and South Sudan in addition to the Sino-Sudanese economic relations. The Chinese envoy said that President al-Bashir reiterated his country’s full commitment to cooperation agreement with South Sudan and backing the African Union’s efforts for the implementation of the agreement. The Chinese official reiterated the position of China's support to all efforts aimed to resolve disputes between Khartoum and Juba peacefully. On Tuesday, the Sudanese government officially announced its acceptance of proposals made by the head of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), Thabo Mbeki aimed at bridging the gap with Juba. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abu-Bakr al-Sideeq Mohamed al-Amin said that Sudan has informed the AUHIP it does not object to its proposals for solving the problems facing the implementation of cooperation agreements. As for the report, the AUHIP proposals with regard to the demilitarised zone, will secure withdrawal of South Sudan's troops from occupied Sudanese areas. The timelines specified in the proposal falls within the 60-day deadline to stop the flow of South Sudan's oil through Sudanese territory. Tensions between the countries escalated when Sudanese president ordered the closure of pipelines carrying oil from landlocked South Sudan. Sudan also announced that it will put on hold cooperation agreements signed with South Sudan last year on a wide range of issues that included citizenship rights, security issues, banking and border trade.