The United States said on Tuesday it was stepping up efforts for a peaceful transition in Sudan ahead of a referendum likely to result in secession of the southern part of the war-ravaged nation.
A State Department statement said Washington is working to ensure “a peaceful post-2011 Sudan, or an orderly path toward two separate and viable states at peace with each other” after a January 9 referendum on whether the south should stay united with the north.
“The Obama administration is pressing the parties to facilitate the peaceful and on-time conduct of the referenda, to respect their results, to resolve key remaining post-referenda issues, and for the government of Sudan to end the conflict in Darfur,” it added. — Sapa-AFP