South Sudan rejects more talks on Abyei

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JUBA, South Sudan, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Sudan has rejected a proposal on the future of Abyei and South Sudan will not hold any more talks on the contested region, says South Sudan's chief negotiator.

Although agreement was reached last week on issues such as trade and security, the pacts already face opposition from South Sudanese leaders, the Sudan Tribune reported Tuesday.

Presidents Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and Salva Kiir of South Sudan signed the agreements Thursday at the conclusion of talks in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The issue of Abyei, while not resolved, is no longer a topic of discussion, said Pagan Amum, South Sudan's chief negotiator at the talks.

"The issue of Abyei is a finished case. There will be no more discussions. On our side as the government, we accepted the proposal by the mediators. President Salva Kiir Mayardit never hesitated but Sudan refused it," Amum said Monday night in a speech broadcast form the South Sudan capital of Juba.

He added the only issues left to be resolved at the next round of talks are border demarcation and claimed and contested areas.

Members of South Sudan's parliament have been recalled early from a scheduled three-month recess to ratify the agreements. However, the governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Paul Malong Awan, announced his opposition on Saturday.

Other members of parliament have also expressed dissatisfaction with the treaties' proposals about national borders and the relationship between the countries' central banks.