JUBA — The presidents of Sudan and South Sudan said talks Tuesday were “fruitful”, but made no hoped-for announcement of a breakthrough on the disputed flashpoint region of Abyei.



“We are ready to go the extra mile to make peace with Sudan,” South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir told his northern counterpart and former civil war foe Omar Al-Bashir, who visited South Sudan’s capital Juba in the latest push to tackle a raft of issues left unresolved when the formerly unified nation split two years ago.



Tensions have been mounting over disputed Abyei, a war-ravaged region wedged between the two countries and claimed by both sides, with the  African Union urging leaders to “seize the opportunity” to find a deal.



But while Kiir said Abyei was the “most critical” issue discussed, little concrete progress was announced.



“The meeting with my brother Salva Kiir was fruitful.... We will make sure all the outstanding issues are implemented,” Bashir said.



Kiir warmly welcomed Bashir, an indicted war crimes suspect wanted by the International Criminal Court.



The leaders, who were bitter enemies during the two-decade civil war that led to South Sudan’s independence in July 2011, embraced as they met.



Abyei was meant to vote on whether to be part of Sudan or South Sudan in January 2011 — the same day Juba voted overwhelmingly to split from the north — as part of the 2005 peace deal which ended Sudan’s civil war.



But that referendum has been repeatedly stalled, with residents now threatening to press ahead and organize their own vote.



The United Nations and AU have warned that any such unilateral move could inflame tensions in the oil-producing zone and risk destabilizing the uneasy peace between the longtime foes.— AFP