Sudan rejects Juba’s request to extend talks

Sudanese government has turned down South Sudan’s request to extend ongoing peace talks to resolve disputed territories, it has been revealed today. Sudanese officials said today that granting South Sudan’s request to prolong the deadline for peace talks by three months, would mean “reopening the discussion on terms already agreed upon” by the two countries. Sudan's chief negotiator, Idris Abdel Kader, has accused South Sudan of "flagrantly backtracking" on pre-agreed terms which he said were finalised by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan (AUHIP), led by former South African president Thabo Mbeki. The country’s Defence Minister, Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein, has also accused "foreign parties who stand to benefit" from the situation of influencing South Sudan over its relations with Sudan. According to TV channel, the Ashorooq Network, Hussein was reported to have blamed South Sudan’s U-turn on disputed areas on the political infighting currently plaguing the country’s government. Meanwhile, senior official in the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), Hamed Seddik said: “Sudan should review its policies towards South Sudan in light of the country’s confused and muddled behaviour. Cooperation can only benefit parties in favour of a peaceful resolution.” He concluded that South Sudan’s actions are "unpredictable" and "incomprehensible" due to political infighting in the relatively new nation.