两国之间更积极的态势使非洲联盟高级别执行小组受到鼓励，邀请两国外长Deng Alor Kwol和Eldirdiri Mohamed Ahmed下周进行有关阿卜耶伊最终地位的讨论。这次会议原本打算在联合政治与安全机制特别会议的间隙召开。我个人已与两位外交部长接触，以评估他们就该问题进行接触的意愿，并确认讨论的时机是否合适。他们态度积极，同时表明要避免对成功做出过度许诺。我们刚刚听说，两国政府现在拒绝在定于9月23日和24日召开的机制会议间隙讨论该问题，但是，这很可能是因为两位外长在纽约这里开会而无法分身。然而，我仍然希望这种接触确实会发生。这种接触即便仅起到将阿卜耶伊最终地位问题列入议程的作用，也将是一个积极之举。
The more positive posture between the two countries has encouraged the African Union High-level Implementation Panel to invite the two Foreign Ministers, Deng Alor Kwol and Eldirdiri Mohamed Ahmed, for discussions on Abyei’s final status next week. That meeting was intended to take place on the sidelines of an extraordinary session of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism. I personally engaged the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs to assess their willingness to engage on this issue and to confirm that the timing for such a discussion was appropriate. They were positive while being clear not to overpromise on a successful outcome. We have just heard that both Governments have now declined the offer to discuss it on the margins of the Mechanism meeting scheduled for 23 and 24 September, but this is most likely because of the unavailability of the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs, owing to their presence here in New York. I remain hopeful, however, that such an engagement will indeed take place. Even if it only serves to put the issue of Abyei’s final status on the agenda, it would be a positive move.