video transcript

An ongoing dispute between Sudan and South Sudan over oil exports is close to being resolved. On Saturday, former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating for the African Union, said the two sides were now prepared to discuss resuming oil exports from South Sudan via pipelines passing through Sudan to the north. The disagreement halted oil exports from South Sudan in January and brought the two sides close to war. (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE AU HIGH LEVEL IMPLEMENTATION PANEL (AUHIP), THABO MBEKI, SAYING: "All of the matters and the issues that are outstanding were charges for transportation, processing, transit, all of that. They have agreed on all of these things. So what will remain, is then of course, given that was an agreement, is then to discuss when the oil companies should be asked for the resumption of production and export." Both South Sudan and its northern neighbour are under U.N. pressure to reach an agreement by the end of this month or face sanctions. Jessica Gray, Reuters