Riek Machar's resignation welcome - SPLM/A

The rebel SPLM/A has welcomed the resignation of the leader of the pro-government South Sudan Defence Forces (SSDF) Riek Machar as assistant president, chairman of the governing council in south Sudan and also as leader of the United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF). "We welcome what he has done and hope that others will follow suit," the movement's spokesman Samson Kwaje confirmed to IRIN on Wednesday. "It is good he has
realised that the government is not sincere and can never live by its word," he added. "We have not yet made contact with him [Machar] so we do not know what plans he has," Kwaje said.

The Sudan government, for its part, described Machar's resignation as "unfortunate" and unjustifiable". At a meeting convened by the National Security Council it indicated that "laudable efforts" have been exerted to implement the Khartoum Peace Agreement and that a joint committee is
"still reviewing" the implementation. Machar resigned last week, citing the governments' failure to implement aspects of the peace accord it reached with a number of southern factions, including his own SSDF, in April 1997.