NAS calls for a clear agenda as Kiir announces the continuation of Rome peace talks.

The NAS has said that they would no longer engage in the Rome peace talks until Juba establishes a clear agenda for the discussions.

This is in reaction to President Salva Kiir’s statement that discussions with SSSOMA will resume without preconditions.

Kiir’s newest peace effort comes almost three months after he paused the peace process indefinitely after the August 16 assault on the Juba-Nimule route, which killed two Catholic nuns.

He had blamed the strike on holdout organizations, primarily the NAS, claiming that it breached a cease of hostilities deal agreed with the government early last year – an assertion that the NAS refuted.

According to NAS Spokesperson Samuel Suba, they would be ready for negotiations if their earlier requests are clearly spelled out in the agenda for the meeting.

“This is what we’ve been saying: we’re ready for discussions, but what type of conversations are we interested in?” “It’s not simply conversing for a picnic,” Suba Samuel said.

“What we mean by negotiations is addressing basic problems that will produce peace.”

“We had an agenda before the peace negotiations broke down, and there are still unresolved concerns.” When such difficulties are settled, genuine discussions may begin.”

The peace process has been dragging on since May, when the NAS boycotted the Rome negotiations after accusing government troops of targeting their strongholds in Central Equatoria State.

In July of this year, the group again refused discussions with the government, accusing Juba of targeting its leaders in neighboring Uganda in the aftermath of the assassination of General Abraham Wani in Kampala.