Kiir, Machar reach agreement on 'some points': Sudan foreign minister

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar reached an agreement on “some points” in peace talks in Khartoum on Tuesday, Sudan’s foreign minister said.

Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed said the points agreed on would be announced on Wednesday morning.

Machar told reporters after meeting Kiir that he had demanded another 48 hours to consult with other parts of the South Sudanese opposition before signing any draft agreements.

The two leaders met on Monday for talks to end a civil war that broke out in 2013, less than two years after the country gained independence from Sudan.

In another round of talks in Addis Ababa last week, South Sudan offered to allow a rebel representative to join its government on Friday, but ruled out Machar himself.

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir convened this week’s talks in Khartoum, which began on Monday. Sudan has struggled economically since the oil-rich south seceded, and is facing its worst budget crisis for years.

REUTERS