Chinese envoy warns of adverse impact on Abyei issue from situation in Sudan

UNITED NATIONS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Abyei-related issues should not be subjected to the negative impact of the situation in Sudan, a Chinese envoy said Tuesday.

Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks while speaking at a Security Council meeting on Sudan and South Sudan.

China hopes that the parties concerned will continue to accumulate favorable conditions for the settlement of the final status of Abyei, he said.

Sudan and South Sudan are disputing the oil-rich Abyei region on the border, which represents one of the biggest obstacles hindering the settlement of differences between the two countries.

In 2011, the UN Security Council established the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to monitor the Abyei border.

"Sudan and South Sudan are parties to the issues related to Abyei," Dai said, noting that a political solution in this connection cannot be achieved without dialogue and cooperation between the two sides.

In the previous period, bilateral relations between Sudan and South Sudan keep improving. The leaders of the two countries maintained close engagement on the situation in Abyei, considered the formation of a joint security force along the border, and sent positive signals on addressing the final status of Abyei, he said.

"All of these have laid a good political foundation for the ultimate settlement of the Abyei-related issues, which is very encouraging for China," Dai said.

It is regrettable that the current instability in Sudan may affect and complicate the resolution of the Abyei issue, he said.

"We wish to see an early ceasefire in Sudan, and believe that Sudan and South Sudan will continue the momentum of dialogue and cooperation and implement the consensus already reached," said the envoy.