South Sudan says won't be 'base' for armed groups against Sudan

South Sudan's newly-appointed  First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai reiterated on Monday that his country will not be a "base" for any armed forces against Sudan.

"South Sudan separated from Sudan with the aim to achieve stability in both countries. After today, South Sudan will not be a base for any armed groups that want war in Sudan," said Deng at a press conference after meeting with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum on Monday.

"We, in the South Sudanese government, are ready to contact the Sudanese armed groups and encourage them to reach a peace deal, but if they want the war to continue, South Sudan will not be their starting point," the vice-president said.

"Also, if the South Sudanese rebel groups want continuation of war, Sudan will not be their starting point because the two peoples have suffered from war and they want peace," he added.

The South Sudanese first vice-president also declared his country and Sudan have agreed to settle all the outstanding security issues within 21 days.

"We have agreed that, within only 21 days, the border will be opened and demarcated and all issued be resolved," he said.

Meanwhile, Deng described the current security situations in South Sudan as stable.

"It is true that unfortunate events took place in Juba last July which led to the killing of many people, but now the situations are stable in all areas of the South," the vice-president said.

He said the South Sudanese want peace and his party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition, will continue to support the peace deal between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the opposition leader Riek Machar.

Deng arrived in Khartoum on Sunday in his first visit to Sudan following his appointment as South Sudan's first vice-president.

He held talks with Sudan's First Vice-President Bakri Hassan Saleh on Sunday and met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Monday.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir appointed Deng as the country's first vice-president two weeks ago to replace Machar.

Machar disappeared after the recent violent clashes in the South Sudanese capital Juba which left hundreds of people dead.

But the recent summit of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development in Africa (IGAD) in the Rwandan capital Kigali decided to only recognize the Government of National Unity formed according to the peace deal, which stipulates that Machar be the First Vice-President of South Sudan.

The IGAD rejected Kiir's decision to sack Machar and appoint Deng, saying the move is both unconstitutional and a violation of the deal.

Source : XINHUA