ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 5 (UPI) -- Sudan and South Sudan failed to reach an agreement designed to end hostilities and lead to withdrawal of armed forces from each other's territories.
Meanwhile, South Sudan's army said Wednesday it had shot down a Sudan armed forces war plane, but Sudan denied the claim, the Sudan Tribune reported.
The two sides failed to reach agreement during negotiations in the Ethiopia's capital, Addis Abba, Wednesday -- a day after reports the sides didn't finalize a draft agreement over South Sudan's refusal to admit to Sudan allegations it was supporting Sudanese rebels, the Tribune said.
The African Union High Level Panel, led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, intervened with a conciliatory proposal but Sudan's negotiators refused to sign, saying they needed to consult with leaders in Khartoum.
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Sudan's defense minister, Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, told reporters the proposal "requires further study and analysis and ... we must refer it to Khartoum because the paper contains political, military and security issues and must be reviewed by the respective authorities."
Hussein said the proposal doesn't acknowledge Juba's support of rebels and doesn't make clear that borders from 1956, when Sudan became independent, should be the basis for deciding disputed territories.
South Sudan negotiators criticized Sudan, saying Khartoum withdrew from the talks with intent to resume hostilities.
"They have literally walked out. ... We are ready to sign but Khartoum ran," South Sudan chief negotiator Pagan Amum said. "It's war-mongering that made them not to sign and nothing else."
South Sudan Defense Minister Majak D' Agoot told the Tribune South Sudan shot down the Sudan armed forces MiG-29 fighter plane in Unity state Wednesday.
He said the Sudan military had carried out bombings on Unity state Sunday. But Sudan military representative al-Sawarmi Khaled denied a plane had been shot down in Unity state.
