UN / ABYEI

The Security Council urgently called for all concerned to refrain from any unilateral action that would heighten tensions or impede a solution. It called on parties to resume immediate negotiations to reach agreement on Abyei’s final status under the auspices of the African Union High Implementation Panel. UNTV/ UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:00
• Production Date: 24 October 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; SECURITY COUNCIL
• Geographic Subject: SUDAN; SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U131024i

Description

STORY: UN / ABYEI
TRT:1.00
SOURCE: UNTV/ UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 24 OCTOBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations headquarters
2. Wide shot, Security Council President Ambassador approaches microphone
3. Cutaway, journalist taking notes
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations:
“Following the today’s consultations the Members of the Council reiterated their grave concern about the highly volatile situation in Abyei area, and urgently called on all concerned to refrain from any unilateral action that could heighten tension or impede a solution.”
5. Cutaway, journalist taking notes
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations:
“The members of the Council recall their decision in resolution 2046 that the parties must resume immediately negotiations to reach agreement on Abyei final status under the auspices of the AUHIP (African Union High Implementation Panel).”

RECENT - 22 OCTOBER 2013, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

7. Med shot, President Bashir and President Salva Kiir greeting each other
8. Wide shot, presidents and delegation walking
9. Wide shot, Bashir shaking hands with officials
10. Med shot, Bashir shaking hands with diplomats
11. Med shot, presidential guest house
12. Wide shot, both presidents seated
13. Med shot, Bashir and Salva shaking hands

Storyline

The United Nations (UN) Security Council reiterated its concern over the the "highly volatile situation" in Abyei.

Following a closed door council meeting today (24 Oct) in New York, the President of the Council, Azerbaijani Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev, read a press statement where council members “called on all concerned to refrain from any unilateral action that could heighten tension or impede a solution.”

He also said “the parties must resume immediately negotiations to reach agreement on Abyei final status under the auspices of the AUHIP (African Union High Implementation Panel).”

The statement also expressed support for the African Union Peace and Security Council visit to Abyei on 26 and 27 October while urging both communities to use that visit as an opportunity to ease tension.

On Tuesday(22 Oct) South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir reached an agreement at a summit in Juba to expedite the formation of the Abyei Administration, its legislative council and the area police.

Bashir also reiterated Sudan's commitment to all agreements signed with South Sudan along with bilateral understandings aimed at boosting ties and realizing the aspirations of the two peoples.

The Sudanese president further renewed his country's willingness to work with South Sudan to remove all the barriers hindering the movement of the citizens and trade between the two sides.