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Arab League declines ICC maneuver against Sudan |
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Sunday, 20 July 2008 |
The Foreign Ministers of the Arab League met in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday and rejected the move taken by the General Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno Ocampo of indicting President Omer Al-Bashir.
The Arab League said that Mr. Ocampo trespassed the jurisdiction of the ICC. The Secretary General of the Arab League, Amru Musa, is expected today to meet President Omer Al-Bashir in Khartoum and explain to him the position taken by the Arab League Foreign Ministers against the ICC.
The Arab League also said that it will coordinate with the African Union to resist the decision of the ICC.
The Vice President of the Republic, Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, visited Libya where he met Muammar Al Gathafi and discussed the issue of Sudan and the ICC.
A leading member in the National Congress Party, Dr. Ghazi Salahdin Al-Atabani, is expected to visit Iran and the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti and Presidential Assistant Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie, will visit Qatar as part of the Sudanese government efforts seeking for international support against the ICC decision.
Meanwhile, the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations/African Union to Darfur, Djibril Bassole, meanwhile arrived in Khartoum on unofficial visit.
Mr. Bassole is expected to meet government, UN, and African Union officials in the Sudan.
After meeting the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Deng Alor, Mr. Bassole is expected to meet today President Omer Al-Bashir. The Deputy President of Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoka, meanwhile said that the step taken by the ICC endangers the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and will deteriorate the security situation in Darfur.Speaking in a joint press conference with the Sudanese Ambassador to Kenya, in Nairobi, Mr. Musyoka said that the timing of the decision is not appropriate.
Musyoka said that the decision will affect diplomatic and legal relations.
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