South Sudan lauds diplomatic efforts to block UN sanctions

South Sudanese Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin meets with Sudanese counterpart Ibrahim Ghandour for talks under mediation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, September 10, 2015.The young nation’s information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth told the state-owned SSTV that the council of ministers was, at its Friday meeting, briefed by his foreign affairs counterpart, Barnaba Marial Benjamin on his recent trip to East Africa and Russia.The council of ministers, during its meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir, reportedly praised Marial for his successful mission to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Russia."The council commended and appreciated the efforts exerted by the minister of foreign affairs in his recent regional tour of Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and successfully ended his mission with a meeting with Sudanese foreign minister in Russia where he managed to secure the support of the Russian government to block the imposition of sanctions. As the government, we commend and appreciate the government of Russia, Angola, china and Venezuela with standing with us in our quest for peace," Lueth said on Saturday.This is not time for sanctions. The people of South Sudan and the government need peace and support for implementation of peace agreement, not sanctions”, he added.Meanwhile, Gordon Buay, a government representatives at its diplomatic mission in the United States separately told Sudan Tribune that the people of South Sudan were extremely delighted with the performance of their diplomats in Moscow for improving diplomatic relations between the world’s youngest nation and the Russian Federation.