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Peace on the horizon between Sudan, South Sudan. Troop pullout from Abyei to begin
Asked whether Bashir had revised that condition, Carter said: “He did not express to us any reservations or provisos.”
South Sudan has said Sudan was blocking the creation of the joint administration.
Bashir told the two Elders that he notified Mbeki of his readiness to withdraw his forces.
Carter said “there are very few troops left there,” and a diplomatic source said he understood there are about 300 Sudan soldiers still in Abyei, where they have essentially remained in camps.
Abyei was to have held a referendum in January 2011 on whether it belonged with the north or South, but that ballot was stalled over disagreement on who could vote.
After a similar ballot, South Sudan separated last July, but critical issues including Abyei were unresolved at independence.
The U.N. Security Council on May 17 made a new demand that Sudan “immediately” withdraw all troops from Abyei, and extended the mandate of the mainly Ethiopian U.N. peacekeeping force in the area for six more months.
