President Salva Kiir and SPLM- in Opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar are expected in Addis Ababa today to discuss outstanding issues.

On Wednesday, the leadership committee, comprised of members from the government, the SPLM in Opposition and the Former Political Detainees, completed negotiations on the proposed Compromise Agreement, but they have disagreed on key issues.

These include power sharing at national level and in the Upper Nile region, the demilitarization of Juba, the scope of a ceasefire and the system of governance during the transitional period.

The spokesperson of the government delegation, Minister Michael Makuei, says chief negotiators from the three sides have briefed the mediators on the areas of disagreement.

“We have agreed to disagree on those outstanding issues, and after that it will be for the mediators to make the necessary preparations for the principles to come and meet and probably discuss and agree on these outstanding issues,” Mr Makuei said.

The SPLM in Opposition wants Juba and all the state capitals to be demilitarized. In this case, a third party would provide security. But the government says it cannot handover security to another party.

The SPLM-IO also wants the ceasefire to be extended to the whole country.