Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir (L) and his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir shake hands after addressing a joint news conference in Juba April 12, 2013 (Reuters)

April 12, 2013 (JUBA) – Speaking from the South Sudan capital, Juba on Friday, Sudanese president Omer Ahmed Al-Bashir said he directed opening of the country’s border with South Sudan and agreed to with his counterpart, Salva Kiir to form a joint high level committee for the remaining unresolved issues.

Bashir and his big delegation, which arrived in three airplanes were received at Juba International Airport by president Kiir and senior government officials, including speaker of the national parliament, James Wani Igga.

He was accorded a state treatment and inspected a guard of honour before proceeding to the presidential palace for official meetings.

During his one day visit, he did not address any public rally, but met leaders of the Muslim community when he performed Friday pray at Kuwait mosque in Juba.

The visit which many government officials in the new state of South Sudan term "historic" comes nearly a year after Bashir had to cancel his visit to the country in April 2012, after a clash between the two countries’ armies in Heglig/Panthou.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir (Centre Left) and Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir (Centre Right) walk at Juba airport on April 12, 2013. (Getty)

Accompanied by high level official officials, Bashir said he believes that his country and the new state of South Sudan are inextricably interdependent, requiring leaders of the two nations to work together to promote "fundamental interests" of their citizens and stability of the region.

"I have instructed authorities and civil society to open up to their brothers in the Republic of South Sudan. The border trade has resumed. The citizens should now move freely. The government of Sudan will provide any support to our brothers and sisters in the state of South Sudan in order to build your new country", Bashir said Friday.

"We are ready to stand with you", he further stressed.

The visit is seen as an important step aimed at normalising the seemingly strained relations between the two countries, since South Sudan’ independence in July 2011.

The two parties during the interim period before the referendum on self determination failed to settle a number of issues. Also the start of a conflict with the SPLM-North in South Kordofan in June 2011 exacerbated their relations and armies of the two countries clashed in April last year, for more than a week in Heglig/Panthou.

Bashir said he and his president Kiir resolved to work together to promote relations between the countries and implement the remaining issues within the framework of the September agreement, in order to open new chapter and move ahead to build peace.

"We have resolved with Brother Salva Kiir in our meeting to work together and stick to the peace option and appropriately address issues through dialogue and consultations in the spirit of mutual understanding and accommodation, so as to promote harmony and good neighbourliness, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development", Bashir told journalists on Friday.

The Sudanese president was speaking at a news conference held shortly after holding one-on-one talk with South Sudanese president, during which he announced he extended an invitation to his South Sudan counterpart to visit Khartoum to that the two leaders can continue talks over the unresolved issues.

South Sudan’s Kiir, while speaking at the same briefing, said he and his Sudanese counterpart agreed on mechanisms that will help resolve all outstanding issues between the two neighbours.

"This visit of president Bashir shows commitment of the government of Sudan to peaceful engagement. It will also restore hope and confidence of the citizens in the leadership of the two countries", Kiir said .

He added that the government of Sudan and the Sudanese people have a will to develop friendly relations and cooperation with their brothers and sisters in the south Sudan on the basis of the principles of peaceful coexistence

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir (R) and Sudan’s President Omer al-Bashir (C) shake hands at the State house in Juba on April 12, 2013. (Getty)

Following a joint meeting, South Sudan Information, Baranaba Marial Benjamin said the two presidents had conducted a peaceful dialogue on all the outstanding issues and have resolved to implement all aspects of last year’s cooperation agreement.

Sudanese Foreign Affairs minister, Ali Ahmed Karti said his country has consistently supported peaceful process and dialogue between the two nations in order to break barriers and to make positive contribution in the region.

"We believe our cooperation as the two states will not only serve the interest of our citizens but will contribute to the stability and stability of the region", Karti said.

Meanwhile South Sudan Information minister, Barnaba Marial said the visit was not only "historic" but a successful working day because the two presidents agreed to implement all aspects of the cooperation agreements, which both leaders signed without preconditions.

"It is a historic visit because of the strategic depth of the relations between the people of the two countries. The oil will follow because it is vital for the economy of the two countries. The border trade will resume. Sudanese president had declared ordering resumption of the border trade. Our people will move freely to access goods and other services from both sides", said Marial.

Alison Manani Magaya, South Sudan’s Interior minister said he and his Sudan counterpart discussed issues related to migration at the border crossing points and agreed to do so with immediate so as to facilitate movement of the citizens, especially those at the border.

Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir (C) meets his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir (L) upon his arrival at the Juba Airport in South Sudan April 12, 2013. (Reuters)

Magaya said the visit of the Sudanese president Bashir to his country will reduce tension at the border and will open new hope for cooperation and spirit of peaceful coexistence

“The visit is very important not only to the people and government of South Sudan but also to the Sudanese people and their government. It will open ways for resumption of official border trading between the two countries. The citizens will also be moving freely, he said .

He stressed that people from the two nations will only be required to have necessary ID documents and "this was we have resolved in our meeting with Sudanese minister of interior" to make necessary arrangements so that migration offices moved to the border crossing points with necessary document to facilitate movement of the citizens", he said.

James Wani Igga, Speaker of the national Assembly said the purpose of the visit of the Sudanese president was to diffuse tension at the border and to restore hope and new spirit of cooperation so the leaderships of the two countries can prepare for meaningful dialogue with peace of minds.

“The main purpose of the visit is to diffuse tension. Such visit will open ways for peaceful dialogue and build relations between the countries”, Igga told reporters on Friday.

(ST)