Awwal 05, 1432 H/Feb 08, 2011, SPA -- Norway aims to recognize Southern Sudan as a "sovereign, independent state" in July, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Tuesday, the day after the official results of last month's independence referendum were released. Oslo was also intent on helping the north and Southern Sudan in finding constructive solutions to outstanding issues, dpa quoted Store as adding. Norway in 2005 helped broker a peace deal that ended a two decade long civil war in the African country and three years later hosted a donor conference aimed at shoring up the peace agreement. According to the results of the January referendum over 98 per cent of voters in Southern Sudan voted in favour of independence.
