Sudan/ South Sudan / Adoption of a road map by the African Union Peace and Security Council

PARIS, France, April 25, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- France welcomes the adoption yesterday by the African Union Peace and Security Council of a road map aimed at putting an end to the tensions between Sudan and South Sudan.

This road map notably requires an immediate end to the bombing by the Sudanese army and the cessation of military operations; the withdrawal of each army to its national territory; the cessation of support to the rebel groups operating in the territory of the other State; the respect by both parties of the commitments previously entered into, notably with respect to the implementation of a joint border monitoring mechanism and a transitional arrangement for the Abyei area.

France, which has expressed support for such measures on several occasions, lends its full support to the provisions of this road map and urges the parties to implement it without further delay.

France is concerned about the possibility of war between Sudan and South Sudan and actively supports all efforts to put an end to the violence. To that end, the Ministre d’Etat will consult today with his Egyptian and Qatari counterparts, while the Minister for Cooperation will use the opportunity offered by his visit to Abidjan to also discuss this troubling situation with the African Heads of State and Government attending the Summit.