JUBA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sudan said on Wednesday that time was running out for the warring parties in South Sudan to implement all the unresolved outstanding issues as the deadline nears for the formation of the transitional unity government by February 2020.
Mohamed Hamdan Daqlu, deputy head of the Sudan Sovereign Council, said that the 100 days extension of the pre-transitional period agreed upon by President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar on Nov. 12 in Uganda is almost expiring amid deadlock on the contentious issue of the number of states.
"This meeting is part of the previous meetings. Today we remain with limited time nearly 29 days have passed and yet we need to focus on the implementation of the South Sudanese peace," Daqlu told journalists in Juba after meeting Kiir together with Machar.
The former warring parties are also yet to complete the security arrangements that include screening, registration, and cantonment of their forces to form the 83,000 unified force.
Daqlu disclosed that the ongoing Sudanese peace talks between the government and various opposition groups being mediated by President Kiir is somewhat overshadowing follow up on the implementation of South Sudan's revitalized peace agreement.
"We have challenges in the two countries, there are two issues, the implementation of the South Sudanese peace deal and the ongoing negotiations between the armed groups and the transitional government of Sudan," said Daqlu.
He revealed that both countries need peace in order to improve security and stability along their common border. "We are happy that the (South Sudan) ceasefire is holding. We have witnessed that our brothers are implementing the ceasefire. For the last 14 months there has been no violations," added Daqlu.
South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011, after decades of civil war and both countries share one of the longest common borders. Juba relies on Sudan's infrastructure to transport its crude oil overseas through Port Sudan.
Both countries still have unresolved issues over the demarcation of their border and are also contesting ownership of the oil-rich Abyei area currently administered by Sudan.
Tut Gatluak, President Kiir's security advisor, said Daqlu who accompanied Machar, the leader of the main opposition group the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO) to Juba, came to assess the implementation of the revitalized peace deal.
South Sudan descended into conflict in December 2013, after President Salva Kiir sacked his deputy Machar leading to fighting between soldiers loyal to the respective leaders.
