Israel Matzav

Sunday, January 23, 2011

South Sudan votes to secede

It's not surprising that South Sudan voted to secede from the North. What's amazing is the percentage, which is by far the highest I can recall voting for anything or anyone in a free and fair election.

WITH MOST of the votes counted, almost 99 per cent of southern Sudanese who voted in last week’s independence referendum have chosen to split from the north.

According to the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission, 98.6 % of the 3.2 million people who voted chose secession, with more than 80 per cent of the votes in the south counted. Just 1.4 per cent chose unity. The commission had earlier confirmed that the turnout exceeded the 60 per cent required for a valid result.

“The result was the one that was expected,” Bona Malwal Madut, veteran Sudanese politician and adviser to northern Sudan’s president Omer al-Bashir said, adding that Khartoum would respect the result as promised under the 2005 peace agreement between both sides.

Read the whole thing.

Now, about those diplomatic relations with Israel....

Labels: diplomatic relations, Dr. Francis Nazario, South Sudan

Monday, January 10, 2011

South Sudan wants diplomatic relations with Israel

Israel Radio interviewed Dr. Francis G. Nazario, South Sudan's representative to the European Union, on its international hour a short while ago. Dr. Nazario was asked whether his country would consider diplomatic relations with Israel (which has apparently been assisting the South Sudanese on the sly in their battle with the Muslim North).

Nazario's response was that his country wishes to have diplomatic relations withe very country in the world and Israel is a country in the world.

Unfortunately, the prospect of a South Sudan with diplomatic relations with Israel is not likely to encourage North Sudanese President and war criminal Omar al-Bashir to respect the results of the referendum on independence that is currently being held in South Sudan, but we appreciate the thought and hope that diplomatic relations really do come to pass.

Labels: diplomatic relations, Dr. Francis Nazario, South Sudan