South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and his former vice president Riek Machar have agreed to "unconditional dialogue" in a bid to end deadly strife in the country, diplomats said Friday.
Salva Kiir and Riek Machar made the commitment to African foreign ministers who went to Juba in a bid to end fighting in which hundreds of people have been killed, UN Security Council president Gerard Araud told reporters.
"The president and the former vice president have apparently accepted to enter into unconditional dialogue," Araud, France's UN ambassador, told reporters after an emergency UN Security Council meeting on the South Sudan crisis.
Rebecca Garang, widow of key South Sudanese rebel leader John Garang, has also agreed to join the talks aimed at ending almost one week of unrest in which hundreds have died, added Araud.
Ministers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti and Sudan went to Juba on a mission to try to end the strife and held talks with Salva Kiir in Juba.
The ministers were also to try to see detainees held since the fighting erupted on Sunday.
The 15-member Security Council agreed on a statement which called on Salva Kiir and Riek Machar "to demonstrate leadership in bringing a swift and peaceful resolution to this crisis by calling for a cessation of hostilities and immediately commencing a dialogue."
The council expressed "grave alarm" at the worsening crisis which it said was a threat to the whole region.
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