Sudan agrees on AU proposals to end tension

Sudan on Sunday announced its agreement on proposals presented by the African Union (AU) to end the tension with South Sudan. "The government has officially agreed on the proposals presented by the AU High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan ( AUHIP) concerning the relationship with South Sudan," said Sudan Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. The proposals included mandating the AU border program to form a consultative team to determine the zero line for the demilitarized zone on the ground based on the coordinates mentioned in the map presented by the AUHIP for the two parties, al-Siddiq said. The mediation further proposed the involvement of the joint border verification and monitoring team in the process, provided that the process is to begin on June 18 and last for six weeks, according to the spokesman. Al-Siddiq said the team would then meet with the joint security and political committee between the two countries to inform them about the results of its work. Tensions between Sudan and South Sudan mounted after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced late last month the halt of South Sudan's oil exportation through Sudan's territories as Khartoum accused Juba of inciting rebel groups against Sudan. On Thursday, Khartoum disclosed that the AU had presented proposals for overcoming the oil differences and tensions between Sudan and South Sudan.