Where are the Khartoum-Juba talks heading!?

Bani Darfur/ file

Although many contradictions have surrounded the recent political-security talks between Sudan and South Sudan, last week reports came out indicating that minor progress has been made regarding the cooperation accord, signed between the two countries in Addis Ababa last September. The talks are proceeding in a favorable climate, said the state-run news agency SUNA, boosted as it seems by a telephone conversation between the presidents of the two countries.

Meanwhile, other media reports quoted the president of South Sudan- the same day the SUNA statement was made - as saying that Sudan has asked for an impossible mission, i.e., disengagement and disarmament of the SPLM-A-N.

Juba's chief negotiator, Pagan Amum has arrived in Khartoum today at the head of a South Sudan delegation in a bid to break the deadlock in implementation of the Sudan – South Sudan cooperation agreement, affirming that the main focus will be on pushing forward the accord. However, these same reports have quoted South Sudan delegation spokesman, Atif Kiir as reiterating his country's rejection of any precondition. There is absolutely no connection between the security arrangements and oil exportation, the spokesman said, pointing out that Khartoum should not impose any terms or preconditions on implementing of the agreement. Atif went further to say that there is nothing new to negotiate; only assessment of implementation of old agreements.

Judging by these profound contradictions, it seems that the two sides have only halfheartedly engaged in the previous talks without being fully commitment to implementation and the cooperation accord soon fell through when Khartoum insisted on first finalizing security arrangements, before allowing Juba's oil to pass through its pipelines. Taking the contrary position, Juba insists on implementing the two files separately.

It seems there is a crisis of confidence between the two sides. It is my opinion however that the two can make notable progress if all pending issues are simultaneously addressed while bringing the SPLM-N to the negotiation table.

However, agreement -in principle- on holding a meeting between the heads of the two delegations, in the presence of AU mediators, and holding another meeting for the joint political and security committee in Khartoum, represents an important step towards settlement.

The current talks may well be the last opportunity for a final solution for the problems facing the two countries; if addressed simultaneously. Failure will likely take the two sides back to square one; war, an option from neither side stands to benefit and one that could pose a threat to the very existence of the two countries. The two sides are well advice to take this fact into account, and hopefully the existential threat will translate into goodwill.