The Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth, says the SPLM in Opposition should first send a delegation of 30 people as an advance team to Juba.

Michael Makuei Lueth, who is also the official government spokesperson, announced it would be a security risk to receive about 600 delegates of the SPLM in Opposition and allow them to immediately visit the states.

However, the spokesperson of Dr Riek Machar says a team of only 262 people will arrive in Juba on Friday.

According to James Gatdet, the list has been approved by IGAD and the rest of the delegation will be expected in Juba between the 18^th and the 22nd of this month.

However, Mr Makuei says the government needs to first prepare the ground before the opposition delegation comes and sends its members to the states.

“We need a small number of advance which we had agreed in Addis which was estimating to be 30,” he argued.

“This 30, most of them will be going to institutions established by the agreement and there will be about 6 or 7 who will now sit with the government delegation and [straighten] out most of the outstanding issues which were not actually agreed in Addis.

“It is thereafter that we will agree on the coming in of whatever numbers. Bringing people in a situation which is unclear is not advisable; this in the opinion of the government. It’s a security risk.”

According to the peace agreement signed in August, members of the SPLM in Opposition should have been in Juba within 90 days after signing.