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| Sudan President Bashir and Salva Kiir seek Abyei peace | Sudan President Bashir and Salva Kiir seek Abyei peace |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Sudan's president and his southern counterpart are meeting to try to end recent fighting along their common border, less than a month before the south's independence. | Sudan's president and his southern counterpart are meeting to try to end recent fighting along their common border, less than a month before the south's independence. |
| Some 140,000 people have fled the clashes, which some say is ethnic cleansing against pro-southern groups. | |
| The African Union is hosting the peace talks between President Omar al-Bashir and the south's Salva Kiir. | The African Union is hosting the peace talks between President Omar al-Bashir and the south's Salva Kiir. |
| The south's secession follows years of conflict which killed some 1.5 million. | |
| The fighting along the border has raised fears that the conflict could resume. | The fighting along the border has raised fears that the conflict could resume. |
| Former South African President Thabo Mbeki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi are mediating the talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. | Former South African President Thabo Mbeki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi are mediating the talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. |
| An AU statement said the talks would focus on the withdrawal of armed forces from the disputed town of Abyei, which northern forces seized last month. | An AU statement said the talks would focus on the withdrawal of armed forces from the disputed town of Abyei, which northern forces seized last month. |
| It said the talks would discuss "the dispatch of an African-led international mission to provide security, to provide conditions for the speedy return of displaced people and steps towards a final settlement of the status of the area". | It said the talks would discuss "the dispatch of an African-led international mission to provide security, to provide conditions for the speedy return of displaced people and steps towards a final settlement of the status of the area". |
| 'Southerners targeted' | 'Southerners targeted' |
| Reuters news agency quotes unnamed diplomats as saying that President Bashir had agreed to withdraw his forces from the town but this has not been confirmed. | Reuters news agency quotes unnamed diplomats as saying that President Bashir had agreed to withdraw his forces from the town but this has not been confirmed. |
| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is to arrive in Ethiopian capital on Monday in the latest leg of her Africa tour, is to meet Mr Kiir but not Mr Bashir, one of her aides told AFP news agency. | |
| Human rights groups have warned that southerners are being targeted by pro-northern forces in the neighbouring South Kordofan state. Although it is in the north, it is home to many pro-south communities and has been the scene of recent clashes. | |
| Amnesty International's Tawanda Hondora told the BBC's Network Africa programme that some people had been arrested outside the UN base in the South Kordofan capital, Kadugli, and were later shot dead. | |
| "We think this is the start of what might be ethnic cleansing of South Kordofan, Unity State and Abyei, with the precise purpose of ensuring that, come independence, the areas will not have people who are perceived to be sympathetic to the south," he said. | |
| Two-thirds of the 60,000 Kadugli residents have fled their homes, aid workers say. | |
| Many residents of South Kordofan, especially in the Nuba Mountains area, fought for the south in the long civil war but will soon find themselves to the north of the new international border. | |
| A northern official has warned the south against supporting "rebels" in South Kordofan, according to the state-run Suna news agency. | |
| Haj Majid Suwar said unless this stopped, it could jeopardise the north's recognition of the south's independence on 9 July. | Haj Majid Suwar said unless this stopped, it could jeopardise the north's recognition of the south's independence on 9 July. |
| But a southern military spokesman denied there were any links between the southern army and the pro-south groups fighting in South Kordofan, even though they used to be part of the same rebel group which fought the north for many years. | But a southern military spokesman denied there were any links between the southern army and the pro-south groups fighting in South Kordofan, even though they used to be part of the same rebel group which fought the north for many years. |
| On Friday, the south accused the northern military of bombing areas in Unity State to seize oil fields from the south. | |
| The north-south war ended with a 2005 peace deal, under which the mainly Christian and animist south held a referendum in January on whether to secede from the largely Arabic-speaking, Muslim north. | The north-south war ended with a 2005 peace deal, under which the mainly Christian and animist south held a referendum in January on whether to secede from the largely Arabic-speaking, Muslim north. |
| Some 99% of voters opted for independence. President Bashir said he would accept the verdict of the south, where most of Sudan's oil fields lie. | Some 99% of voters opted for independence. President Bashir said he would accept the verdict of the south, where most of Sudan's oil fields lie. |
| Sudan: A country divided Show regions | Sudan: A country divided Show regions |
| The great divide across Sudan is visible even from space, as this Nasa satellite image shows. The northern states are a blanket of desert, broken only by the fertile Nile corridor. Southern Sudan is covered by green swathes of grassland, swamps and tropical forest. | The great divide across Sudan is visible even from space, as this Nasa satellite image shows. The northern states are a blanket of desert, broken only by the fertile Nile corridor. Southern Sudan is covered by green swathes of grassland, swamps and tropical forest. |
| Sudan's arid northern regions are home mainly to Arabic-speaking Muslims. But in Southern Sudan there is no dominant culture. The Dinkas and the Nuers are the largest of more than 200 ethnic groups, each with its own traditional beliefs and languages. | Sudan's arid northern regions are home mainly to Arabic-speaking Muslims. But in Southern Sudan there is no dominant culture. The Dinkas and the Nuers are the largest of more than 200 ethnic groups, each with its own traditional beliefs and languages. |
| The health inequalities in Sudan are illustrated by infant mortality rates. In Southern Sudan, one in 10 children die before their first birthday. Whereas in the more developed northern states, such as Gezira and White Nile, half of those children would be expected to survive. | The health inequalities in Sudan are illustrated by infant mortality rates. In Southern Sudan, one in 10 children die before their first birthday. Whereas in the more developed northern states, such as Gezira and White Nile, half of those children would be expected to survive. |
| The gulf in water resources between north and south is stark. In Khartoum, River Nile, and Gezira states, two-thirds of people have access to piped drinking water and pit latrines. In the south, boreholes and unprotected wells are the main drinking sources. More than 80% of southerners have no toilet facilities whatsoever. | The gulf in water resources between north and south is stark. In Khartoum, River Nile, and Gezira states, two-thirds of people have access to piped drinking water and pit latrines. In the south, boreholes and unprotected wells are the main drinking sources. More than 80% of southerners have no toilet facilities whatsoever. |
| Throughout Sudan, access to primary school education is strongly linked to household earnings. In the poorest parts of the south, less than 1% of children finish primary school. Whereas in the wealthier north, up to 50% of children complete primary level education. | Throughout Sudan, access to primary school education is strongly linked to household earnings. In the poorest parts of the south, less than 1% of children finish primary school. Whereas in the wealthier north, up to 50% of children complete primary level education. |
| Conflict and poverty are the main causes of food insecurity in Sudan. The residents of war-affected Darfur and Southern Sudan are still greatly dependent on food aid. Far more than in northern states, which tend to be wealthier, more urbanised and less reliant on agriculture. | Conflict and poverty are the main causes of food insecurity in Sudan. The residents of war-affected Darfur and Southern Sudan are still greatly dependent on food aid. Far more than in northern states, which tend to be wealthier, more urbanised and less reliant on agriculture. |
| Sudan exports billions of dollars of oil per year. Southern states produce more than 80% of it, but receive only 50% of the revenue, exacerbating tensions with the north. The oil-producing region of Abyei was due to hold a separate vote on whether to join the north or the south, but it has been postponed indefinitely. | Sudan exports billions of dollars of oil per year. Southern states produce more than 80% of it, but receive only 50% of the revenue, exacerbating tensions with the north. The oil-producing region of Abyei was due to hold a separate vote on whether to join the north or the south, but it has been postponed indefinitely. |