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Bashir holds S Sudan crisis talks Bashir holds S Sudan crisis talks
(about 1 hour later)
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has met a delegation from southern Sudan for the first time since they withdrew their ministers from the government. Sudan's president has met a delegation from south Sudan's ex-rebel movement for the first time since they withdrew their ministers from the government.
The president kept the delegation waiting for two days before hearing their demands to change their representatives in the government. Omar al-Bashir kept the delegation waiting for two days before hearing their demands for a cabinet reshuffle.
The delegation represents southern Sudan's main political party and signed a 2005 peace deal with the north. A BBC correspondent says some have interpreted the delay as a snub, but south Sudan Vice-President Riak Machar said the meeting had been "cordial".
Egypt has announced it will try and mediate between the two sides. He said that Mr Bashir agreed to meet south Sudan's leader on Wednesday.
At the same time, Egypt has announced it will mediate between the two sides.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abou el-Ghait has said he will visit Sudan on Wednesday for talks in Khartoum and the southern capital, Juba.Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abou el-Ghait has said he will visit Sudan on Wednesday for talks in Khartoum and the southern capital, Juba.
The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) wants President Bashir to accept a re-shuffle of ministerial posts and also wants the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005, to be fully implemented. There have been fears that the withdrawal could jeopardise the 2005 deal that ended the 21-year north-south civil war.
The CPA ended a 21-year war between government and southern rebels. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) wants President Bashir to accept a reshuffle of ministerial posts and also wants the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005, to be fully implemented.
Under the deal, the SPLM controls the southern regional government and participates in the national government in Khartoum.Under the deal, the SPLM controls the southern regional government and participates in the national government in Khartoum.
SPLM Vice-President Riak Machar said it was agreed that south Sudan President Salva Kiir would meet Mr Bashir on Wednesday. 'Serious crisis'
"The two leaders will meet soon to discuss the outstanding issues and resolve the crises between the parties triggered by the non-implementation of the CPA and violation of the spirit and equal partnership between the two parties," he said. The BBC's Amber Henshaw in the capital, Khartoum, says Mr Machar handed a letter with the SPLM's requests to Mr Bashir on Sunday.
Some have interpreted the two-day delay as a snub, but our correspondent says this is not what the SPLM is saying publicly.
Mr Machar said it was agreed that south Sudan President Salva Kiir would meet Mr Bashir on Wednesday.
"The two leaders will meet soon to discuss the outstanding issues and resolve the crises between the parties triggered by the non-implementation of the CPA and violation of the spirit and equal partnership between the two parties," Mr Machar said.
Mr Machar told the BBC the parts of the CPA that had not been implemented included:
  • The redeployment of northern troops from the south, especially from Unity and Upper Nile states
  • Issues of oil management and marketing
  • The final border demarcation which means the division of oil wealth cannot be completed
  • Issues to pave the way for a census in 2011, when the south could decide to split from the north.
Some 1.5 million people died in Sudan's conflict - Africa's longest civil war - which pitted the mainly Muslim north against the Animist and Christian south before the CPA was agreed.Some 1.5 million people died in Sudan's conflict - Africa's longest civil war - which pitted the mainly Muslim north against the Animist and Christian south before the CPA was agreed.
There are currently 10,000 UN peacekeepers in southern Sudan.There are currently 10,000 UN peacekeepers in southern Sudan.