Oil talks under way in Sudan

摘要

South Sudan will survive without oil exports because it has boosted tax revenues, stashed away currency reserves worth around $300 million, and may use its oil reserves to borrow, a government official said last month.South Sudan is rich in oil, but is at loggerheads with Sudan from which it split in July 2011, and has shut down its oil production because of disputes over pipeline fees with Sudan, through whose territory its exports flowed.The new African nation reached an interim deal in August with Sudan on how much it should pay to export its oil through northern pipelines, ending a dispute that saw Juba shut off its entire oil output in January. Oil revenue made up 98% of the budget.The interim oil agreement marks a step towards ending hostilities between the neighbours which came close to war in April, the worst violence since South Sudan became independent.But a wider peace agreement is needed for the oil deal to become effective with a new round of talks expected to start at the end of August.