South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar arrived in the Sudanese capital on Sunday seeking to ease tensions after Khartoum threatened to halt oil flows worth billions of dollars to both impoverished neighbors.

South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar arrived in the Sudanese capital on Sunday seeking to ease tensions after Khartoum threatened to halt oil flows worth billions of dollars to both impoverished neighbors.

After landing at Khartoum airport Machar headed immediately to a conference hall on the banks of the Blue Nile for closed-door talks with Sudan's Vice-President Ali Osman Taha, AFP reported.

Ministers of oil, defense and interior from both countries were also present, it added.

Shipments from Sudan of South Sudanese oil resumed about nine days ago after resolution of a year-long fee dispute, and despite uncertainty after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir ordered the oil flow stopped.