Delegations from Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan on Thursday closed talks by signing agreements on cooperation in several areas, including security, oil production, trade, and rights.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir said “today’s signing represents an historic moment in building peace between our two countries.” He added that this amounted to “a real example of the ability of the Sudanese people, of Africans, to achieve compromise.”

The document signed makes provision for the creation of a buffer zone between the two countries – Sudan's condition for the normalization of relations with its neighbor.

In November South Sudan is expected to re-start oil extraction work that was halted due to disagreements over oil transit tariffs.

However, the two countries were unable to reach final agreement on border demarcation and the hotly disputed oil-rich Abyei region.