Addis Ababa — The President of the Republic H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit arrived in Addis Ababa on 4th January 2013 to participate in a summit between him and President El-Bashir. This was announced by the South Sudan Chief Negotiator and SPLM Secretary General Mr. Pagan Amum Okec in a press conference today at Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa.

Mr Amum briefed the press on the developments about the summit and thanked the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia H.E Hailemariam Desalegn for inviting the two heads of state for the summit.

Mr. Amum said President Kiir came to the summit with open hands, heart and with the hope to resolve all the outstanding issues between the two neighboring states. Specifically, he said President Kiir is in Addis Ababa to discuss the final status of Abyei area as recommended by the African Union Peace and Security Council. Mr. Amum added that H.E Kiir is in Addis Ababa to engage President Bashir to accept the African Union proposal on Abyei and to discuss the process of a peaceful resolution of border disputes and all the disputed areas between the two sides as well as the way forward.

H.E Kiir position is that African Union panel of experts be given the mandate to present to the two countries a non-binning opinion on disputed and claimed areas as a basis to resolve the disputes on the border and claimed areas. If there is no agreement on the border based on the opinions presented by the panel of experts, then the two countries are to agree to take the disputes and claims to an international arbitration mechanism which H.E Kiir believes is the most peaceful and best practice to resolve disputes and claims.

President Kiir will also encourage President El-Bashir to remove the new preconditions and obstacles that are hindering the full implementation of the cooperation agreements signed on 27th September 2012 because South Sudan is waiting for an immediate, concurrent and coordinated implementation of all the agreements signed between the two countries without any preconditions.

"May it be known to all that on the evening of 4th January2013, the Ethiopian PM H.E Desalegn together with AU/HIP Chairperson H.E Mbeki held separate meetings with President Kiir and President Bashir at the Ethiopian State House in Addis Ababa and after a working dinner on 4thJanuary 2013, the Summit will be in progress as from 5th January 2013", Mr Amum said.