South Sudan threatens to abandon IGAD mediation
Sat Jun 14, 2014 9:12PM
Coletta Wanjohi, Press TV, Addis Ababa
Fact Corner
* The South Sudanese government has threatened to withdraw from peace
talks organized by the East African regional bloc, the Inter-Governmental
Authority on Development I-G-A-D. The threat came in response to remarks by
I-G-A-D's executive Secretary which Juba says were disrespectful.
* Watch the Video below in Press website:
*
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/06/14/366976/south-sudan-threatens-to-aban
don-igad-mediation/
The executive Secretary of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development,
Mahboub Maalim is quoted to have said,
Delegates for Kiir and Machar have been meeting in luxurious hotels in the
Ethiopian capital since January with both sides bickering over the agenda
and even the venue of discussion. Both Kiir and Machar were "stupid" if they
thought they could win on the battle field.I think sometimes they thought
they could win on the ground militarily , something which is very stupid.
The government of South Sudan is now threatening to leave peace talks
brokered by the IGAD claiming that the statement is demeaning to president
Salva kiir and rebel leader Riek machar. Juba has written to the chairperson
of the IGAD who is also the prime minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam
Desalegn, demanding that action be taken against executive secretary of
IGAD. Until now there has been no response from the Inter-Governmental
Authority on Development office in Addis Ababa. The mediation team comprised
of three chief mediators has also refused to be linked with the remarks of
the IGAD executive secretary. The team says that the remarks of Mahboub
Maalim, do not represent the opinion of the mediation team.
Received on Mon Jun 16 2014 - 18:04:48 EDT