The Sudanese Ministry of Petroleum on Monday suspended the exportation of the South Sudanese oil through north Sudan till an agreement is reached between the two governments on transit fees, the acting Petroleum Minister in Sudan, Ali Ahmed Osman, has said.
On 18 July, Sudanese authorities held up the first Southern oil tanker but released it shortly afterwards on request by the southern oil minister, Garang Deng.
However, Osman said his Ministry had sent a monthly bill to the Southern counterpart during the last four months but Juba neither responded nor paid the bills, as promised.
He said the Southern side, after receiving the last bill, replied that it had financial obligations on the north, which Osman denied, adding, instead that Juba owed Sudan US$ 727 million in transit fees for the last four months, which up to now remain unpaid.
The two sides are currently meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to discuss standing issues that were left unresolved after the separation of the south in the middle of this year.
The issues include the settlement of dues on both sides from oil exportation
