13:44
In
an interview with Radio Tamazuj this afternoon, Ateny Wek, spokesperson of the
president said that is was agreed during the meeting yesterday to sign the
agreement despite reservations on the demilitarization of Juba, the powers of
the evaluation and monitoring commission touching sovereignty and power sharing
in Upper Nile State.
“It
was agreed that President Salva Kiir will sign the peace agreement proposed by
IGAD-Plus”, according to Ateny.
Ateny
further said the peace agreement will be signed in Juba in the presence of
Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Sudan's Omar Al Bashir, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and
the Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn. The IGAD secretariat
requested delegations of the IGAD Plus Members to travel to Juba to witness and
attend the peace deal signing.
Last
week, president Salva Kiir declined to sign on the deadline of August 17th. His opponent
Riek Machar and Pagan Amum on behalf of a group of former political detainees,
signed the deal. Kiir requested an additional 15 days to consult on the deal.
On
Monday, the South Sudanese cabinet discussed the peace proposal. South Sudan's
cabinet minister hinted that president Kiir is seriously considering signing.
In a press statement following an expanded cabinet meeting Monday in Juba,
Cabinet Minister Martin Elia Lomuro said peace is paramount in South Sudan.
He
also said the meeting focused on specific reservation points in the agreement,
including security issues and power-sharing arrangements in Upper Nile state.
Earlier following the meeting the minister said that further discussion on
those points was still needed before Kiir would sign and predicted a final
decision will be reached during the next cabinet meeting, not giving a date.
Credit to Radiotamazuj
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