Fearing possible UN sanctions, Kiir team courts Russia for a veto vote

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) with Prime Minister Li Keqiang in Nairobi, when the Chinese leader visited recently. Photo/FILE 

 

By MABIOR MACH Special Correspondent

In Summary

The US has already imposed sanctions on two generals on either side for obstructing peace and has threatened further sanctions together with the European Union.

South Sudan is in talks with Russia to secure a veto vote against possible Western-backed sanctions by the UN Security Council, officials said.

 

Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin has visited Moscow to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss bilateral issues. “We would like to work with Russia to block any sanctions being put on South Sudan by the Western world,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mawien Makol on Monday.

Mr Mawien said Russia would also help provide humanitarian assistance to about 1.5 million people who have been displaced by five months of conflict and four million others who are at risk of one of the worst famines in decades.

The fighting, which has so far killed more than 10,000 people, followed an alleged coup attempt in Juba on December 15, which President Salva Kiir blamed on his former deputy Dr Riek Machar.

Dr Machar denied the charge and accused President Kiir of purging political dissenters.

Western diplomats said they did not see any evidence of a coup plot and have pressured President Kiir to give in to key rebel demands such as the release of 11 “coup” suspects.

A ceasefire agreement that President Kiir and Dr Machar signed in Addis Ababa on May 9 faltered as both sides traded accusations of breaching the deal.

The US has already imposed sanctions on two generals on either side for obstructing peace and has threatened further sanctions together with the European Union.

Mr Mawien said Russia would assist the world’s newest nation in reaching a peaceful settlement to the conflict as an alternative to sanctions.

“We cannot stick with one side of the world. We don’t want sanctions this time. We want to be supported to make peace and Russia is doing that,” Mr Mawien told The EastAfrican.

“Russia and its allies are interested in us being assisted,” he said.

A senior official at the South Sudan Foreign Ministry said the Western approach to peace in South Sudan was dangerous.

“We have a situation where some people sympathise with rebels to force out an elected government,” the official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter