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US indecisive as tension builds up over Sudan vote
Presidents Omar al-Bashir (right) and first vice-president Salva Kiir (centre) dressed in traditional attire are seen here with King Kongo Dak Fadiet of the Sholk Kingdom at Malakal during the 4th anniversary of the signing of the CPA. Photo/STEPHEN MUDIARI
Posted Monday, August 23 2010 at 00:00
Enough gave an account of a recent event at which Mr Gration expressed satisfaction with moves by the ruling parties in Khartoum and South Sudan to negotiate on North-South issues, with the United Nations and African Union, rather than the United States, taking the lead role as mediators.
With the AU and UN having assumed leadership on the negotiations that will presumably follow the referendum, the US will be able to concentrate on providing food and similar types of support, Mr Gration said, according to the Enough account.
Such a focus by Washington would help “keep the place together,” Mr Gration reportedly suggested in regard to South Sudan in the aftermath of the referendum.
“General Gration and other US officials are increasingly voicing a mantra that the United States has no influence in Sudan,” Enough added.
The role of the UN Security Council in regard to the South Sudan referendum also remains unclear.
Under the current leadership of Russia, the council has scheduled no discussions on Sudan during the month of August.
The council did issue a statement in June urging parties in Sudan to implement the peace agreement between them that calls for a secession referendum to be held in 2011.
The vote should take place as scheduled in January, the council said.
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