by Nhial Tiitmamer
Washington DC
Oct. 20, 2007 (The New Sudan Vision)
The Head of GOSS Mission to the USA Mr. Lol Gatkuoth has told the New Sudan Vision that the SPLA troops have not penetrated into the North as fabricated earlier by the National Congress Party's media.
Mr. Gatkuoth said that the news is "NOT TRUE" and that it was a creation by the NCP to paint the SPLM's image wrongly internationally. He said that the news was designed by the NCP sponsored media in order to "deviate the current world attention away from NCP."
Gatkuoth was responding to correct the news report by the Sudan Media Centre which said, "Troops from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) penetrated into north, the troops are estimated at (630) elements and occupied Alkwyk area in the northern state of White Nile at the West banks of the White Nile, which lies about 150 km south of the town of Kosti."
Asked if there has been a breakthrough concerning the current CPA crisis in the meeting between President Kiir and President Bashir, Gatkuoth said that there has not been breakthrough with the exception of the approval of the reshuffle which he said was at the bottom of the list of the SPLM's demands.
He said the key SPLM's demands such as implementation of Abyei Protocol, withdrawal of SAF troops from the South, North - South border demarcation, transparency in oil production among other keys issues have not yet been accepted by the NCP. He said the SPLM will be staying out of the government until the NCP act to implement all the key elements of the CPA.