afrol News, 5 December - Sudanese officials have set up a committee to submit proposals of how to solve the crisis surrounding the control over the oil-rich Abyei state. The six-member committee has been given seven days to submit its proposals.

This followed a crisis meeting between President Omar al-Bashir and leader of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir at the weekend.

The two leaders also agreed to draw up a timetable for the withdrawal of Sudanese government troops the Southern states of Kordofan, Upper and Lower Nile. A joint defence committee is mandated to draw up a time the withdrawal timetable.

A dispute over the ownership of the oil-rich state and the deployment of troops in the three states provoked crisis in the national government in October, with SPLM ministers withdrawing from the national governmen.

This posed threats to the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement, which saw the appointment of Salva Kiir as the president of South Sudan and vice president of the national government.

Southern ministers are expected to take up their seats in the national government once the two sides thrash out their differences.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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