Tagged: Border Disputes

Sudan, South Sudan Mediation Stalled

Mediation Signpost - Sudan, South Sudan Author: Stephen Alexander – The government teams from Sudan and South Sudan ended yet another mediation without agreeing on a geographical map for a buffer zone on their common border. The African Union mediation team did announce a continuation of talks in the first week of July.

With defense ministers from each nation leading their delegation earlier in June, the efforts did not establish agreement on a security line for the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone (SDBZ). In fact, both nations and the African Union mediation team put three different maps on the negotiation table.

With disagreement rampant on the border dispute, Pagan Amum, the South Sudanese lead negotiator told reporters that the two nations agreed to maintain a positive tone that prevailed in the round. The next round hopes to resolve all outstanding issues between the nations, according to negotiator Amum.

Those outstanding issues include: border demarcation, the Abyei Area, and oil transportation fees. The Abyei Area is approximately a four thousand (4,000) square mile area in Sudan granted ”special administrative status” by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict in the peace agreement that ended the Second Sudanese War.

The need is urgent for the parties to speed up the negotiation process in order implement peace road-map which sets August 2, 2012 as the deadline for end of mediation.

The African Union mediation team said the talks will resume on July 5th so that the delegations can consult with the presidents of each nation, Salva Kiir Mayardit and Omar Al-Bashir.

African Union Mediation Team Accused

African Union Logo w Scandal - Question Mark Author: Stephen Alexander – An African Union (AU) mediation team stands accused of manipulating the proposed new map of the disputed regions in the Sudan – South Sudan border dispute. Specifically, the AU team allegedly added a new zone without Sudan’s agreement or informing their chairman of this addition, according to the president of Sudan, Omer Al-Bashir.

The president of Sudan said on Saturday that the nation rejects adding a buffer zone on the common border with South Sudan, unless it is based on the map agreed to when South Sudan got its independence.

The Sudanese President further stressed that some AU officials falsified the government’s position despite the objections by Sudan. He said that the two nations agree to four disputed areas on the map and this fifth area was added by the mediation team without their consent.

Prior to Al-Bashir’s statement, the South Sudan reportedly agreed to the mediation team’s proposed map. His statement included accusations of “treachery and treason.” He mentioned that the oil would not begin to flow from Sudan, until this issue was resolved.

AU Mediation Team Proposes New Sudan Map

AU Mediation team attempts to reconcile geographical map of Sudan and South Sudan.

Author: Stephen Alexander – The mediation team from the African Union has proposed a new geographical map to both Sudan and South Sudan. The delegations from both nations have been stuck in negotiations with their different maps.

The team from Sudan wants a map that includes disputed lands that are crucial for grazing animals of the Darfur tribes and Dinka Malual. The disputed area is between South Darfur and Northern Bahr al Ghazal.

The Sudanese delegation rejects South Sudan’s claim over Heglig because the South Sudanese did not contest the rule of the arbitration court over Abyei. Of course, this occurred before the independence of South Sudan.

On Wednesday, June 8, 2012, the mediation team gave a new geographical map to both African nations in order to reconcile each sides’ position.

The countries have previously agreed upon four disputed areas between the Upper Nile and the White Nile – a triangle on South Kordofan, Upper Nile and White Nile border – Kaka between South Kordofan and Upper Nile and the mineral rich Kafia Kinji area located between South Darfur and Western Bahr al Ghazal.

The countries need to reach an agreement within three months in order to comply with a road map prepared by the African Union and endorsed by the United Nations Security Council.

Clinton to Mediate – Azerbaijan, Armenia

Map of Caucuses

Author: Stephen Alexander - Three days of mediation are scheduled by Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State for the United States of America starting Monday, June 4th, 2012. The parties to the mediation are border rivals, Armenia and Azerbaijan and the issues are trade and territorial disputes.

As part of Hillary Clinton’s week-long European tour, Secretary Clinton denounced the “senseless deaths of young soldiers and innocent civilians” as part of the Nagomo-Karabakh conflict – a quasi-autonomous region in Azerbaijan. The recent border skirmish between the two nations resulted in three dead Armenian soldiers and five wounded, according to the Armenian government.

Secretary Clinton warned that regional tensions could escalate into a broader conflict with consequences for all nations. She said the United States would press with France, Russian and others on mediation efforts.

The hopes of the mediation are that at least Armenia and Azerbaijan can reach an agreement to a set of basic principles that might progress towards peace, including the return of territories and uprooted people to their homes and eventual vote on the region’s future.

Secretary Clinton’s next stop in the region after leaving Armenia is to Georgia before heading to Azerbaijan to continue with her efforts.


Lebanese Hostage Mediation on Turks

Turkish flag imprinted on Syria outline

 Author: Stephen Alexander - The release of eleven Lebanese hostages detained by Syrian rebels depends on mediation efforts by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Turkish officials, according to The Daily Star. Prime Minister Mikati said that Turkey’s role in the negotiations is of “special significance.”

The hostages consist of eleven Shiite male pilgrims who were kidnapped last week in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo. The hostages were returning from a religious pilgrimage in Iran. The women and elderly men who were detained have already been released.

With the current instability in Syria, “Turkish citizens are being abducted and sometimes killed in crossfire between the opposition rebels and the regime forces,” according to Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Selcuk Unal. According to Mr. Unal, doubts remain on “whether the kidnapped are still alive.”

According to dissidents and the Associated Press, the kidnappers demands include the release of five hundred detainees, including Lt. Col. Hussein Harmoush – one of the first officers to defect from the Syrian regime. Harmoush has been held by the regime since he was arrested.