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2nd LD Writethru: Ban urges "necessary compromises" from S. Sudan rivals

Xinhua, March 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday strongly urged South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar to "make the necessary compromises" for a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in the world's youngest country.

The secretary-general, in a statement issued here by his spokesman, made the appeal just days before the March 5 deadline, set by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediation for the conclusion of the South Sudan negotiations.

The secretary-general strongly urges the two rivals to show leadership, put the well being of South Sudanese ahead of all other interests, and make the necessary compromises to conclude a power sharing agreement that paves the way for a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in South Sudan, the statement said.

The latest round of the IGAD-led peace talks are due to end on Thursday. The IGAD has so far been unsuccessful in its attempts to mediate an end to the civil war, in which at least 10,000 people have been reportedly killed and 1.5 million others internally displaced.

South Sudan plunged into violence in December 2013, when fighting erupted between troops loyal to President Kiir and defectors led by Machar around the capital, Juba.

The conflict soon turned into an all-out war between the army and defectors, with the violence taking on an ethnic dimension that pitted the president's Dinka tribe against Machar's Nuer ethnic group.

The secretary-general took note of the unanimous adoption of a resolution by the UN Security Council earlier Tuesday, establishing a sanctions regime on South Sudan, said the statement.

The Security Council on Tuesday adopted the resolution to decide to impose targeted sanctions on those who would threaten peace, security and stability of the country.

In the unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-nation UN council decided to impose travel bans on individuals and asset freeze on individuals and entities who have directly or indirectly engaged in actions or policies that would block peace in South Sudan for an initial period of one year from today.

Ban reminded both parties that "the best way to avoid the enactment of actual sanctions" by the Security Council is to strictly adhere to the Cessation of Hostilities agreement of Jan. 23, 2014, fully comply with International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, extend their full cooperation to United Nations and humanitarian personnel in the discharge of their mandates and duties, and conclude the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that places South Sudan back on the path to stability and prosperity, the statement said.

"He commends and supports the efforts of the region to facilitate a conclusion of the negotiation process," it added. Endi