Sudan north-south border decision likely delayed

JUBA, Sudan, Aug 28 (Reuters) A decision on defining the border between northern Sudan and the semi-autonomous south of the country is unlikely to be made before the end of the year as promised, a southern government official said.

Sudan's central government had promised the frontier would be drawn in time for a national census expected in November. The boundary is a contentious issue for both north and south because it will pinpoint where the lucrative oil fields lie.

''Though they made a commitment (to have) a result at the end of this year, it's clear there's still a long way to go, especially in terms of funding,'' southern Minister for Presidential Affairs Luka Biong told Reuters late yesterday.

More than two decades of war pitting the Arabic-speaking Islamist government in Khartoum against the mostly Christian and animist southern rebels ended in January 2005 with the signing of a north-south peace deal.

The pact created a semi-autonomous southern authority, a national coalition government, and sharing of oil wealth -- with the option of full independence for the south in a referendum by 2011.

Biong said there were at least six areas of potential disagreement along the January 1, 1956 line, named after the date of Sudan's independence from Britain and Egypt, including areas of oil production and agricultural schemes, as well as areas contested by different groups or tribes.

''The potential dispute is great,'' he said about one part of the line. ''It's a very problematic section because it passes through main oil areas.'' More than 95 percent of the semi-autonomous region's income comes from oil revenues.

Biong said the northern government was trying to derail implementation of the peace deal by withholding funding for the boundary committee.

Riek Degoal, a south-Sudan representative on the joint committee, said the group might be able to produce a report on findings by the end of October if funding was allocated on time.

He said so far the committee had been able to carry out activities only sporadically. Lack of funding and transparency meant the committee had been unable to plan ahead, he added.

''We have never been informed of what our budget envelope is,'' Degoal said.

REUTERS LPB HT1542