Russian special envoy remarks on Bashir’s reelection draw fire
The Sudanese political forces reacted angrily to statements made by Russian special envoy Mikhail Margelov in which he appeared to be endorsing president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir for another term in the upcoming presidential elections.
“I have not yet seen this alternative [to Bashir] even back in January when I had to convince [our] western partners that the arrest warrant by International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest the Sudanese president is not viable and unrealistic” Margelov was quoted as saying in response to a question on availability of other candidates to run for president against Bashir.
Mariam Al-Mahdi, a senior figure in the Umma national party, deplored statements by Margelov saying that the choice of who to become president should be made by the Sudanese people.
“The Russian envoy has little understanding of the Sudanese political arena. He has limited his dialogue during his tenure to the two partners [in GoNU NCP & SPLM] so all he really saw was Bashir” the daughter of the former prime minister said.
The leader of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) Hassan Al-Turabi expressed “surprise” over Margelov’s position but downplayed its significance.
“The Russians have only recently been acquainted with democracy and are still carrying the burden of totalitarian rule. What he [Margelov] said has no impact on the ground and with no weight” Al-Turabi said.
“He [Margelov] did not meet with other political parties besides the ones in power or create channels of communication with us so his understanding is lacking. He knows nothing about Sudan or its problems like in South or Darfur or even the country’s history and what happened in the last twenty years [since Bashir came to power],” the Islamist opposition leader added.
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article33409

Actually Margelov comments are quite relevant and western powers do think the same; even USA. That is the main problem in fact, if not Bashir who else?

Basically, for the moment, Russia is providing the air transport to the UN (As usual). Up to now, MI8 pilots were mainly playing Khartoum game. It has been a hell to get the helicopters on some places long the Ethiopian and Kenyan border. But now, things are getting better…

Russia has to open consulate in South Sudan – envoy
Russia should open a consulate in the southern Sudan capital as over 20 countries have their offices there, said Mikhail Margelov the special envoy to Sudan in statements to Russian journalists.
"This is not the first year that the idea of opening a Russian consulate in Southern Sudan in Juba has been discussed, and I am deeply convinced that this should be done and not delayed," reported the Russian RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday.
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article33405

This could explain why Russians are more and more cooperative…
More seriously, Russians will not reconcider their participation to UNMIS. They have too much to lose and Bashir is almost insured to stay in powern the North. What ever happens in South, Darfour will still be there. I know, I know, they talk about peace... For the trillion times again, just before elections...
Chances to get peace in North a great but what is even better for the Russians is that chances to have war in South is even bigger.

But anyway, the big news comes from China, once again!

China has been thanked by Kenyan government for its financial support for the construction of a road and rail way channel for Sudanese Oil to Lamu harbor in Kenya. AFP January 6 2010.
For the moment it's Port Sudan which is the main point for Oil export. This tells long about the efforts put to get South Sudan on tracks.
The only clouds I see, there is actually a conflict inside GoSS and SPLM/SPLA between pro Kenya and pro Uganda.
The coming elections will tell us who will win that battle. Uganda is actually having some strong positions in South Sudan. The LRA hunt has allow Museweni to send an important number of troops inside South Sudan. It's difficult for me to not see the Kagame mentor not applying Rwanda tactic to basically militarily colonize South Sudan. LRA looks like another fake FDLR threat to me…