Sudans agree on border issues, not Abyei

Sudan and South Sudan have agreed on security issues at the countries' border but failed to find common ground on the contested region of Abyei. After five days of meetings in the Ethiopia, Sudan President Omar al-Bashir and South Sudan President Salva Kiir agreed Wednesday to establish a demilitarized zone along their 1,100-mile common border, reported the Sudan Tribune. Troops from both countries will be withdrawn from a 6-mile buffer zone that includes the "Mile 14" area, a region occupying 14 miles between Western Bahr El-Ghazal State in South Sudan and East Darfur State in Darfur. "Mile 14" will be administered by a joint arrangement between the Al-Riziygat Arab tribe of Darfur and Dinka Mulawl of South Sudan until the area's final status can be determined. With establishment of the buffer zone, the countries will be able to implement a deal reached in August to export oil from South Sudan through Sudan. Kiir and Bashir failed to resolve issues surrounding the disputed region of Abyei. Sudan rejected "in its entirety" an African Union proposal to hold a referendum by October 2013 to determine to which country the region will be affiliated. At the center of the disagreement is how to define the "permanent" residents of the region allowed to vote in the referendum. Sudan says members of the nomadic al Messriyah should be able to vote, although they live in the region only a few months each year. Members of the Dinka Ngok tribe of South Sudan live there year-round.