Khartoum Notifies South Sudan It Will Halt Oil Flow By 7 August

Sudan has notified South Sudan that it will stop oil flow through its pipelines next month, according to Nhial Deng Nhial, South Sudan's minister of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Nhial told reporters on Wednesday that the government of South Sudan had received a notification from the Sudanese government saying that the pumping stations will be shut off by 7th of August 2013.

"We have been notified through our embassy in Sudan that as of 7th, the Republic of Sudan will cease oil belonging to South Sudan from passing through its territory," Nhial said.

Sudanese intelligence service this week released two statement information about the alleged arrival of Sudanese rebels from South Kordofan where they held a meeting earlier this month to Juba, adding to operation was facilitated by the SPLA intelligence.

Also several Sudanese officials pointed out that the two 60-day warning fixed last June will be implemented if Juba continues to ignore the implementation of the security arrangements and its implementation matrix.

Minister Nhial Deng Nhial said South Sudan will begin a gradual reduction of crude oil that passes through Sudanese territory to reduce the effect of a likely shutdown by Khartoum on South Sudan.

But he did not say when this will begin following the notification from Khartoum.

South Sudanese vice -president Riek Machar on 30 June was in Khartoum where he discussed the issue of the rebels and the possible stoppage of oil flow with his Sudanese counterpart Ali Osman Taha.

The two officials reiterated their commitment to implement the signed agreements and vowed to implement it in a way to avoid the return of tensions between the two countries.

Since last June after Bashir's decision on the possible shut down of the pipeline, Juba says willing to unconditionally implement what is agreed with Sudan but accused its northern neighbour of blackmailing.

"What we are not willing to do, is to be blackmailed because we don't have any way to pass our oil through", reiterated minister Nhial on Wednesday .