JUBA, South Sudan — The government has hailed the just concluded meeting with the rebels and mediators in Khartoum as a step towards the attainment of lasting peace.
South Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Benjamin Marial, praised the initiative by the Chinese government to mediate between the warring parties in an effort to restore peace to the country.
“The fact that China, People’s Republic of China, got involved in trying to push forward the peace process also shows the commitment of the Chinese government to peace in South Sudan. We endorsed it because it does not deviate from the IGAD peace process.”
Marial spoke to journalists in Juba upon arrival from the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Wednesday, saying the meeting would boost the IGAD brokered peace negotiation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“The safety of personnel who are involved in important economic institutions in the Republic of South Sudan; that of course includes economic installations and I think is very important thing – that they wanted the assurance that these institutions are properly protected and not to be destroyed in any form.”
The foreign minister said that they and the SPLA opposition rebels have agreed to allow access to those displaced by the war.
Aid agencies earlier raised the issue of access to those in dire need of assistance by both sides of the conflict by placing numerous roadblocks in place and demanding money.
Marial added that the two sides had agreed to allow aid workers access to hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people in need of humanitarian assistance.
According to the minister, the two sides recommitted to ending the conflict peacefully and to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement 
signed nearly a year ago between the government and rebels.
However, accusations of attacks have been occurring recently, according to SPLA spokespeople.
He further said that the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, who mediated in the talks between the two warring parties, met the two sides’ delegates, Sudanese and Ethiopian, separately and held discussions with the IGAD mediators.
On the talks, Marial said the government hopes to resume peace talks in Addis Ababa at the end of this month with new momentum to reach a permanent peace deal.
China is sending 750 combat troops to South Sudan as part the UN peacekeeping mission by next March.
Marial supported the Chinese troops adding that they adhere to the UN Mission in South Sudan mandate and will not side with either party to the conflict.
China is the main investor in South Sudan’s oil industry, which contributes more than 90 percent of government revenues.
This is the second time that another country has come and held talks on ending the one year conflict that has ravaged the country. Last year, Tanzania invited the two sides of the conflict to try to unify their factions in an intra-party dialogue, wherein President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar accepted responsibility for the current crisis facing the nation.
By Moi Julius