ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Presidents Omar Hassan Al Bashir of Sudan and Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan arrived on Friday in Addis Ababa for the summit meeting on outstanding issues.
The meeting is expected to enable the two presidents to agree on the best means and ways of overcoming the challenges encountered in the implementation of the agreements concluded on Sept.27, 2012 under the auspices of African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) chaired by former president Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.
With the summit meeting, the two presidents are expected to find solutions to the pending issues of the Abyei Area and the border.
Pagan Amum, Chief Negotiator of South Sudan told reporters late on Friday that the two leaders are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss and resolve outstanding issues between Sudan and South Sudan.
He said they would meet Friday's night and would continue the talks on Saturday.
The two leaders separately met with Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopian Prime Minister and Thabo Mbeki, AU Chief Mediator earlier Friday at the National Palace here in Addis Ababa.
Speaking to the press at Sheraton Hotel, Amum said the two presidents would meet and discuss final status of Abyei and the border.
The chief negotiator said they would go to international arbitration if they fail with this summit meeting to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries.
Amum also recalled that the AU Peace and Security Council said on the Dec. 14th 2012 that the two leaders would hold the summit to agree on pending issues.
AU announced in a statement that it looks forward to the outcome of the meeting between the leaders.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of AU Commission, expressed hope that the meeting would enable the two Presidents to agree on the best means and ways of overcoming the challenges encountered in the implementation of the landmark Agreements in September last year.
