The government says it will not accept any new date set by IGAD for the arrival of the SPLM-In Opposition advance team, unless the number of group is reduced.

On Friday, the government received a list of 589 names of members of the opposition.

The Minister of Information, Michael Makuei, says IGAD had set the 11^th of December as the date for their arrival in the country.

“Well, this is not an agreed date. That is a proposal from Seyoum Mesfin, but we have not agreed on the figures,” Mr Makuei said.

“Our position is very clear. We are saying these 589 members is uncalled for, because it is no longer an advanced team but it is actually repatriation.”

Eye Radio could not reach James Gadtet, the Spokesperson of Dr Riek Machar, for comment.

But a member of the SPLM-In Opposition, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, has been quoted by the Bloomberg website as saying the group will arrive on the 11^th.

He said an initial group of 262 delegates traveling from the western Ethiopian town of Gambella will be followed by 339 people between the 18^th and 22^nd of December.