South Sudan's Riek Machar says he's likely out of unity gov't deal

South Sudan’s main opposition leader Riek Machar said Sunday he will likely not be a part of a unity government in November.

Machar revealed this to a visiting UN Security Council delegation, thus dashing hopes of progress on peace process.

“We want to do this right, we want to do it right. So if we are not there on the 12th as President Salva (Kiir) had threatened that he will form the government on the 12th, I ask my colleagues here do not blame us. We have a volatile situation that we want to control. We want this country to be peaceful”, Machar said.

We have a volatile situation that we want to control. We want this country to be peaceful.

But the UN Security Council is positive the issues identified by Machar can be solved by the deadline.

“The security council called on parties of the agreement to expedite the process of implementing transitional security arrangements, to continue consultations on the issue of the number and boundaries of states and to peacefully form the revitalized transitional government of national unity by November the 12th”, the U.S Ambassador to the U.N, Kelly Craft said.

In May, President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar agreed to form a unity government in six months. In September, both leaders said they will set up a transitional government by November 12 as part of the peace deal.

The pact has stalled. The government said it lacks finances to fund disarmament and integration of the army.

Reuters