South Sudan's referendum vote reaches 60%, SPLM

Khartoum, 12 Jan – (ANA) - South Sudan has reached the 60% turnout needed to pass the referendum on secession from the north, the south's ruling party and ex-rebel group says.

"The 60% threshold has been achieved but we are asking for a 100% (turnout)," the SPLM's Anne Itto said.

She did not give exact figures, but said it was based on polling centre reports for the first three days of the week-long vote which began on Sunday.

The poll was agreed as part of the 2005 deal to end the two-decade civil war.

The Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement have been running the region since the peace agreement.

Official turnout figures, along with the preliminary result not expected until the beginning of February, are the responsibility of the South Sudan Referendum Commission.

Almost four million people have registered to vote.

Ms Itto said people have stopped asking each other "how are you?" as a greeting and instead are asking "have you voted?", AP news agency reports.

The vote, in which only southerners are taking part, is widely expected to approve secession.

Meanwhile the US state department has indicated it could remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism if the north recognises the outcome of the poll. (ANA)

FA/ANA/12 January 2011----------