New York

24 May 2012

Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Sudan and South Sudan

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to resume talks in Addis Ababa next week under the auspices of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel.

The Secretary-General encourages the parties to reconvene in an atmosphere of good will and calls on them to demonstrate the flexibility necessary to reach agreement on outstanding issues in accordance with the guidance and deadlines set by the African Union Peace and Security Council and the UN Security Council.

The Secretary-General reiterates the readiness of the United Nations to assist the parties implement their agreements and support the mechanisms established by them. He stresses the necessity of commencing the work of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) for peace and security along the border and confirms UNISFA's readiness to immediately support its operations.