AlQa'dah 6, 1433, Sep 22, 2012, SPA -- The African Union (AU) has urged Sudan and its neighbour South Sudan to reach a final deal on all remaining areas of dispute at a summit to take place in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Sunday, dpa reported. The AU on Saturday expressed support for the peaceful coexistence of both states, while recognizing that "difficult decisions must be made by both sides to finalize negotiations on their post-secession relations." The two countries came close to war in April when they fought over the oil-rich Abyei region, which lies along their shared border. Sunday's meeting between Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir and his South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir comes a day after the expiration of a United Nations Security Council deadline for the conclusion of negotiations. The UN has threatened non-military sanctions should a deal not be reached. On Friday the security council said that the two leaders must "exercise constructive leadership and demonstrate the political will to ratify the progress made and bridge the remaining gaps to ensure the successful conclusion of the negotiations." An agreement on oil payments was reached in August but several sticking points remain outstanding. These include a deal on Abyei and when oil companies can begin oil production and export, as well as key security issues including border demarcation and a demilitarized zone. -- SPA
