Sudan in talks with S. Sudan on stabilizing bilateral ties

Sudan on Sunday received South Sudan's newly appointed First Vice-President Taban Deng who succeeded Riek Machar, the leader of South Sudan's armed opposition group.

"We receive Taban Deng as South Sudan's First Vice-President. We are not a party to decide who becomes South Sudan's vice-president. This is an internal issue and we are dealing with the events as they are and with South Sudan government as a legitimate government," Kamal-Eddin Ismail, Sudan's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, told reporters at Khartoum airport Sunday.

He reiterated Sudan's commitment to the decisions of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD).

"Our stance regarding the IGAD is clear. We are with IGAD and part of the IGAD, but this is a South Sudanese government official and we are receiving him by virtue of his post, where he will find all cooperation from us," he noted.

Deng is scheduled to hold talks with Sudan's First Vice-President Bakri Hassan Saleh Sunday, while he is expected to meet with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Monday.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit appointed Deng as South Sudan's first vice-president two weeks ago to replace Riek Machar who had disappeared after the recent violent clashes in the South Sudanese capital Juba which left hundreds of people dead.

The recent IGAD summit in the Rwandan capital Kigali decided to only recognize the Government of National Unity formed according to the peace deal signed between Presidents Kiir and Machar, which stipulates that Machar be the First Vice-President.

The IGAD rejected Kiir's decision sacking Machar and appointing Deng, regarding the move as unconstitutional and representing a violation of the deal. Endit