South Sudan says starts troop withdrawal from Sudan border
By Aaron Maasho and Hereward Holland
ADDIS ABABA/JUBA | Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:42pm EST
(Reuters) - South Sudan started withdrawing its army on Thursday from the
border with Sudan to set up a buffer zone, the government said, part of a
peace deal that stipulated both must pull back troops before oil exports can
restart.
The countries came close to war in April in the worst border clashes since
South Sudan declared independence from Sudan in 2011 under an agreement
which ended decades of war fuelled by ideology, oil, ethnicity and religion.
After mediation from the African Union, they agreed in September to resume
oil exports from landlocked South Sudan through Sudan. Oil is vital to both
economies.
"By withdrawing its forces ... the government of South Sudan is clearly
demonstrating its full compliance with the signed security agreements and
full commitment to their implementation," South Sudan's government said in a
statement.
The pullout would be completed by February 4 and South Sudan expected Sudan
to do the same, the statement said.
Sudanese officials could not be reached for comment.
Mutual distrust remains deep and withdrawal from the disputed 2,000-km
(1,200-mile) border was complicated by fighting on the Sudanese side between
Sudan's army and rebels that Khartoum says South Sudan supports. Juba denies
this.
Security officials from both countries are in talks in Addis Ababa to
discuss implementing the buffer zone.
South Sudan, which says Sudan often bombs its territory, shut down its
entire oil output of 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) a year ago after failing
to agree export and transit fees with Khartoum. It had hoped to be producing
230,000 bpd by December.
Crude from southern fields will take two months to reach the Red Sea
terminal on Sudan's coast after output resumes, South Sudan's oil minister
said this month, suggesting exports could hit markets by April if the buffer
zone is in place by February.
(Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Louise
<
http://www.reuters.com/places/ireland> Ireland)
Received on Fri Jan 18 2013 - 12:32:18 EST
