Possible South Sudan Reconciliation; Syrian Weapons Transferred

South Sudan Reconciliation “Possible” As Two Sides Meet

A chief negotiator in South Sudan has indicated that rebels are confident that “full reconciliation” can be achieved with the government.  Taban Deng’s comments come as the two sides hold ceasefire talks in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.  South Sudan’s Information Minister Michel Makuel has also indicated that the government is committed to ending the conflict.  Fresh violence erupted in South Sudan on 15 December 2013, resulting in around 1,000 people being killed since then.  In turn, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting, which has seen clashes between members of the Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups.

After days of disputes pertaining to procedural issues and the agenda, direct talks between the two sides finally began on Sunday in Addis Ababa.  On Tuesday, chief mediators Seyoum Mesfin and Lazurus Sumbeiywo flew to South Sudan’s capital, Juba, in order to hold talks with President Salva Kiir.  A major issue to be raised during the talks will be the demand made by Riek Machar to release twelve people who have been detained over allegations of a coup plot.  The president has so far repeatedly ruled out their release, stating that they will face justice.  Mr Machar however denies that there was a coup plot, stating instead that the current president’s forces are responsible for the violence, which is being used as a mechanism to consolidate his hold on power ahead of elections which are due in 2015.

Since fighting began in mid-December of last year, both sides have been under intense diplomatic pressure to end the fighting in South Sudan, which is the world’s newest state.  On Monday.  China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, met with the two parties in Addis Ababa and urged them to negotiate a ceasefire.  China is a major investor in South Sudan’s oil industry.  Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir also held talks with President Kiir on Monday.  According to Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali Karti, the two leaders were “in consultations about the deployment of a mixed force to protect the oilfields in the South.

When it seceded from Sudan in 2011, the South ended up with most of the oilfields however it has to export the oil using pipelines through ports in Sudan’s territory.  With fighting escalating over the past few weeks, the government in Khartoum, Sudan now fears that the fighting that is occurring in the South will disrupt its oil revenue.

Despite the two sides hold talks in Ethiopia, fighting in South Sudan has continued.  On Monday, heavy fighting between President Kiir’s and Mr Machar’s forces occurred near Bor, the capital of Jonglei state.  Army spokesman Philip Aguer indicated that it was only a “matter of time” before Bor was recaptured from the rebels.  The United Nations also announced on Monday that militiamen had taken control of a UN food warehouse in Bentiu and that UN vehicles had been commandeered in the rebel-held town of Bor.

On Monday, the South Sudanese government announced that it had agreed to a cessation of hostilities with rebel leader David Yau Yau.  The government, which has been fighting Mr Yau Yau for nearly two years, feared that his troops, which are stationed in Jonglei state, would joint the new rebellion.

First Chemical Weapons Leave Syria

Meanwhile in Syria, the United Nations has confirmed that the first consignment of chemical weapons has left the Syrian port of Latakia.  Officials at the UN have indicated that Chinese, Danish, Norwegian and Russian frigates are escorting the consignment.  A previous attempt to collect the arms was aborted after Syrian officials failed to deliver the toxic chemicals to the collection point in Latakia.  The “most critical” chemical include about twenty tonnes of blister agent sulphur mustard.

The weapons are due to be taken to Italy, where they will be loaded onto a US Navy Ship and shipped into international waters for destruction in a specially created titanium tank on board.  Removing the most dangerous chemicals is the first step of a UN-backed agreement that aims to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal by the middle of this year.  The agreement was brokered by Russian and American officials after rockets filled with nerve agent sarin were fired at three towns in the Ghouta agricultural belt located around the Syrian capital Damascus on 21 August 2013.  The attack resulted in the deaths of hundreds of peoples.  While Western powers have indicated that the assault could have only bee carried out Syrian government forces, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has blamed the attack on rebel fighters.

Route of First Consignment

1. The Syrian authorities are responsible for packing and safely transporting the chemical weapons from twelve sites across the country to the port of Latakia.  Russia has supplied large-capacity and armoured lorries, while the US has sent container drums and GPS locators.
2. Russia has also provided security for loading operations at Latakia, for which the US has supplied loading, transportation and decontamination equipment’s.  Meanwhile China has sent ten ambulances and surveillance cameras while Finland has sent an emergency response team in the event that accidents should occur.
3. Denmark and Norway will provide cargo ships and military escorts in order to take the chemicals to an as yet unnamed port in Italy.  Russia and China will also provide naval escorts.
4. Upon arrival in Italy, the “most critical” chemical weapons will be loaded onto the US Maritime Administration cargo ship, MV Cape Ray, in order to be destroyed by hydrolysis in international waters.  Meanwhile less toxic chemicals will be shipped by Norwegian and Danish vessels for disposal at commercial facilities.