A senior member of the Sudanese ruling party has said that the African Union has until the 7^th of August to reveal  findings of its investigation into South Sudan’s alleged support of armed rebels.

Rabbie Abdullaatti of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party, told Eye Radio that Sudan’s government will continue with its plan, made by Presidential Decree, to shut down the oil pipeline if South Sudan doesn’t cease its alleged support for Sudanese rebels in South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur.

The African Union has asked Sudan to extend the deadline, saying that this would give both sides an opportunity to “find satisfactory solutions”.

Mr. Abdullaatti an advisor to the Sudanese Ministry of Information said that the African Union must first investigate their claims, and if the claims are untrue, Sudan will respond appropriately.

“In fact the issue is not just about what President al-Bashir said in his order, it is not an individual order. It is generally related to the realities on the ground,” he said.  “If the realities on the ground are not matching with the order and if the atmosphere on the ground shows there is no support coming from South Sudan, I think there will be no need for the order to proceed.”

On Tuesday, South Sudan’s former Minister of Petroleum, Stephen Dhieu said that the full shutdown of oil production in South Sudan will occur by the 31^st of July.