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S. Sudan peace talks suspend indefinitely

Xinhua, March 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

The South Sudan peace talks mediated by an East African bloc was suspended indefinitely on Friday without producing the necessary breakthrough.

The peace talks continued on Friday morning though the deadline to conclude negotiations had earlier been agreed by March 5.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has been mediating the South Sudan peace negotiations to end the more than one year conflict in the world's newest nation.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and his former vice, Riek Machar, signed the latest agreement on Feb. 1, 2015 to conclude the negotiations by March 5, and towards establishing transitional government no later than July 9 of this year.

The two principals launched face-to-face meeting on Tuesday, and had been negotiating under the IGAD-led mediation here in Addis Ababa.

In his message to the people of South Sudan, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia, who is also IGAD Chair, on Friday said, "President Kiir and Dr. Machar agreed that they would come to an agreement by March 5. That deadline has been missed. Talks continued this morning, past the deadline. I regret to inform you that the talks did not produce the necessary breakthrough."

Both Kiir and Machar have assured the leaders of the IGAD member states that they are committed to peace, Hailemariam said, adding at the same time there are individuals on both sides who continue to beat the drums of war.

"This cannot be right. There can be no justification for the continuation of this conflict. The war must end now."

He said IGAD's efforts have not yet produced the necessary results and a common plan of action will be discussed among stakeholders in the region.

He asked the people of South Sudan to refuse to support those who militate for war, destruction, and killing, and urged them not to lose hope, as the IGAD region and the world stand with them. Endi