The Minister of Foreign Affairs says the United Nations Security Council Sanctions Resolution on South Sudan is “unfortunate”.

Dr. Barnaba Marial, who was addressing  the media in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa this afternoon, says the UN Security Council Sanction Resolution is “extremely disappointing” to the people of South Sudan.

He says the timing of the resolution is “inappropriate” because the peace process is at a “critical stage.”

“The resolution which was passed yesterday … regarding the peace process in South Sudan is unfortunate and I repeat: it is unfortunate and the timing is inappropriate, because the peace process is at critical stage,” he stated.

“While I am talking to you here now, President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Dr. Riek are actually continuing to negotiate the last stages of the peace process in Addis Ababa to resolve the few outstanding issues in the process.”

Dr. Marial blamed the U.S government for playing a leading major role in pushing for the Sanction Resolution within the UN Security Council against South Sudan.

“It is extremely disappointing that the United States of America, which played leading role in ensuring the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which resulted in the independence of South Sudan, …[is] the leading architect of this unfortunate and sad resolution today about talking on sanctions on this young country, the Republic of South Sudan.

“Peace cannot be negotiated and reached under threats of sanctions.”

Dr. Marial says the sanction resolution would have a negative impact on the on-going peace process in Addis Ababa.