JUBA, July 9 (Xinhua) — The Republic of South Sudan declared independence on Saturday, waiting to be recognized as the 193rd member of the United Nations and hoping to keep peace with the north after decades of war.
The Sudanese government on Friday officially announced its recognition of South Sudan as an independent state with sovereignty as of Saturday based on the borderline of Jan. 1, 1956.
“The Republic of Sudan announces its recognition of the establishment of the Republic of South Sudan as an independent state with sovereignty as of July 9, 2011, according to the borders of Jan. 1, 1956 and according to the two sides’ borders which were standing when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was inked on Jan. 9, 2005,” said a statement by the Sudanese Presidency, read by Sudanese Minister of the Presidency Affairs Bakri Hassan Salih here Friday.
The Sudanese government reiterated its willingness to witness the establishment of a stable and safe state in south Sudan, saying that it was looking forward to building relations with South Sudan on the bases of the historical ties between the two countries and in affirmation of the principles of cooperation, mutual respect and good neighborliness.
The government reiterated its commitment to settle all the remaining issues in the CPA and the post-separation issues through dialogue and with spirit of cooperation, in anticipation of a future in which people of the two countries would enjoy peace and stability.
The statement urged South Sudan to adhere to the agreements signed between the two countries, saying that “the Republic of Sudan calls on the Republic of South Sudan to recognize the agreements which it signed with the Republic of Sudan bilaterally, regionally and internationally.”
South Sudan is expected to celebrate on Saturday the official declaration of independence which came in accordance with the results of a referendum on self-determination for southern Sudan.
South Sudan will be the world’s newest state to join the United Nations. It will be the 193rd UN member state and the 54th member state of the African Union.
