Sudan, S Sudan urged to implement deals

WASHINGTON - The foreign ministers of the United States, Norway and Britain on Wednesday urged Sudan and South Sudan to start implementation of all aspects of bilateral agreements "immediately and unconditionally".

US Secretary of State John Kerry, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and British Foreign Secretary William Hague, whose countries are collectively known as the Sudan Troika, issued a joint statement welcoming the detailed arrangements approved by the governments of Sudan and South Sudan last Friday for the implementation of all nine agreements signed by presidents of the two countries in September 2012.

The two neighbors agreed on Tuesday to resume the South's oil exportation through the Sudanese territories in two weeks, following their withdrawal on Sunday of each other's troops from the joint border and the establishment of a safe demilitarized zone, all steps towards the implementation of the signed deals.

Hailing the moves, the foreign ministers "call on the parties to begin implementation of all aspects of these agreements immediately and unconditionally", as required by UN Security Council Resolution 2046, including those relating to the status of oil-rich Abyei.

"At the same time we remain deeply concerned by the security and humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states in Sudan," the trio said.

They urged the Sudanese government to accept the invitation to direct talks, as its rival the Sudan People's Liberation Movement North did, to "address the urgent need for a cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access to all areas, and the longer-term political solution".