Khartoum awarded Sudan's oil-rich region; China applauds decision
Friday, July 24, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
LONDON Ñ The Khartoum regime has been awarded control over crude oil reserves in southern Sudan.
An international arbitration panel has ruled that the Khartoum government was responsible for the disputed Abyei region in southern Sudan. Abyei has been the source of a long dispute between Khartoum and the government in southern Sudan.
China, which is heavily invested in the oil assets of the region, welcomed the decision. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Qin Gang, hailed the willingness of both sides to accept the ruling issued on Wednesday by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).
"We welcome the fact that the oil fields are now excluded from the Abyei area, particularly the Heglig oil field," Khartoum delegation chief Dirdeiry Mohammed Ahmad said after the ruling on July 22.
Both northern and southern Sudan had pledged to honor any ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.
In a 4-1 decision, the panel determined that Heglig as well as the Nile oil pipeline would come under Khartoum's control.