KHARTOUM, Sudan, May 30 (UPI) -- Sudan's ruling alliance, the National Congress Party and Sudan People's Liberation Movement, failed to agree on controversial points in their peace settlement.
The two parties, led by President Omar al-Bashir and his first deputy Silva Keir, ended late Monday night three days of discussions for settling differences over the implementation of the peace treaty they signed more than a year ago ending Sudan's long-protracted civil war.
It was the first time that a such a high-level meeting was held between two groups who share between them 80 percent of the seats on the national unity government formed last September.
Official sources said no agreement was reached over the disputed Ebiby province after Bashir's National Congress Party rejected an international ruling which was approved by the Sudan People's Movement.
The two parties agreed to consider four options to solve the problem of demarcating the borders of Ebiby after they have failed to agree on a consensus solution.
They also decided to review oil legislation stressing the need to employ southern cadres in the oil sector, as the Sudan People's Movement expressed skepticism about the credibility of oil figures.
Bashir said at a press conference following the meeting that the two sides agreed on a common vision to solve the issue of eastern Sudan.
He said the government wants to reach a peaceful solution with armed groups in that region, noting that their numbers exceed that of the regular army, police and the southern popular army.
Bashir described the meeting as "constructive," noting that "we talked openly with each side presenting his view point with great transparency."
