South Sudan's vice president to visit Khartoum

South Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar will visit Khartoum on Sunday for a two-day visit, Sudan's state news agency SUNA said Saturday. During his visit to Sudan, Machar will meet Sudan's First Vice President Ali Osman Taha, SUNA said, adding that Machar will be accompanied by South Sudan's Oil Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau and other ministers. A South Sudanese official confirmed the visit, which marks the highest-level talks between Juba and Khartoum since the latter threatened to stop cross-border oil flows. Tensions have escalated between Sudan and South Sudan after the Sudanese president announced last week the halt of South Sudan's oil exportation through Sudan's territories, accusing Juba of inciting rebel groups against Sudan. Juba denied the claims. Khartoum and Juba had recently agreed to resume South Sudan's oil exportation through Sudan's territories as part of the implementation of a cooperation agreement signed in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa last year.