Government of South Sudan (GoSS) praised the positions of President Al-Bashir ,  his Deputy, Ali Osman Taha and the National Congress Party(NCP) regarding implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement(CPA).

Government of South Sudan (GoSS) praised the positions of President Al-Bashir ,  his Deputy, Ali Osman Taha and the National Congress Party(NCP) regarding implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement(CPA).

GoSS Parliament Speaker, James Wani Igga, said those honoring positions contributed much to enhancement of security and stability that characterized the polling process in the South.

Igga told reporters that his meetings with the US former president, Jimmy Carter, former UN SG Kofi Anan and Chief of the UN Panel on Referendum, Benjamin Makaba, had lauded the peace spirit that facilitated transcending of persistent obstacles and challenges. The meetings, he said, stressed that the outcome of the vote, either way, would  yield peace and stability in the Sudan.

" The second day of vote casting  overtook the first day in terms of southerners turnout," GoSS Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr. Locka Biong, told reporters, adding that ballot casting  hit around  30% in the first day in absence of any violence or violations.

Carter, who is now in Juba, hopes that the polling will not encounter negative actions. "I think that none of the leaders of the North or South would like to see recurrence of violence, as it will be the matter that will cause devastating impacts on both parties," he suggested.

Anan urged resolution of   issues outstanding between the North and South, believing that those issues, including Abyei, " Could be sorted out in two or three months should good faith prevails," he stated.

South Sudan Referendum Commission(SSRC) Chief Prof. Mohammed Ibrahim Khalil, assured that the  voting  process proceeds in harmony among polling officers, observers and voters, describing the rate of  ballot casting as encouraging in the South and North alike.

While inspecting voting centers in Khartoum State, Khalil said to reporters, "If matters will have advanced in that manner, we may not need to extend the polling term."

"The preliminary outcome of the vote will be announced on the 7th of this February, then a one-week period for challenges, to be followed by the announcement of the final result on the 14th of the same month," SSRC reported.

Addressing the press conference it held yesterday at its Head Office in Khartoum in the attendance of local and foreign media, the Commission reviewed progress on voting as well as the timetable it had set for announcing the referendum results.

SSRC member, Paulino Wani, reported that the chief and other members of the commission remained in continued and close follow up of work at the polling centers for getting assured   that the process is on its smooth and calm course.

According to him, reports revealed that voters were able to access centers and cast vote easily, peacefully and freely, and the turnout was 20% and 14% in the South and North respectively.

"The 15th January has been identified as the deadline of the voting process, unless the period of polling is extended for any reason," aired Wani.

Wani says that they expect announcement of results at the voting centers in the period15-17 Jan, Northern States' Committees on the 20th, southern states and the Diaspora on the 23rd.

During their meeting with Khalil, the European and Affrication Parliamentarians, who toured northern and southern states, commended organization, freedom, transparency and smoothness of the polling process.