North and South Sudan have made "significant" progress on a wide range of follow-up arrangements between the two States following the southern region's vote for independence, the top United Nations envoy in the country said today.

"Much of the ground work has already been completed. Both parties are engaging seriously and making progress," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Haile Menkerios told the Security Council, citing agreement in principle on open borders, good neighbourly relations, non-interference in each other's affairs, a framework for non-aggression and military cooperation, citizenship, residency and property ownership.

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