by Denis Elamu
JUBA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Friday called on the UN to push Sudan on quickly resolving the issues on the status of the contested oil-rich Abyei region after the UN Security Council gave a six-month ultimatum on May 15.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Mawien Makol told Xinhua that there was need for quick action by the Sudanese authorities to implement the outstanding issues in the Abyei protocol under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) 2005.
"We are ready to come on the table with Sudan to resolve the Abyei issue, but the most important thing is to push Sudan so that we can resolve the issue," Makol said.
He added that they have decided to work with Sudan and the UN to resolve the long feud over Abyei since South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011.
"This issue of joint border monitoring, our government is very serious on it and we are pushing to implement it," Makol added.
The Security Council resolution urged the two governments to resume direct negotiations in order to quickly agree on a final settlement of the contested Abyei area and establish an administration and council for the disputed region.
Sudan and South Sudan are disputing the oil-rich Abyei, an area inhabited mainly by Sudan's Arab Mesiria tribe and South Sudan's Dinka Ngok tribe.
The Abyei area, which has two thirds of Sudan's oil wells, has witnessed many tensions between the two tribes and the armies of the two countries.
