EU, France, Germany, UK, UN, US call for cooperation with world court
March 4, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – On the day of the arrest warrant for Omar Al-Bashir, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, the European Union Presidency and the secretary-general of the United Nations called for Sudan to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“The fight against impunity is inseparable from the search for peace in Darfur,” said a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry when asked whether the arrest warrant would help to resolve the Darfur crisis.
For the UK, Foreign Secretary David Miliband stated, “We support the independent process that has led to this decision, which we fully respect. We have consistently urged the Government of Sudan to cooperate with the Court over existing arrest warrants. We deeply regret that the Government has not taken these allegations seriously or engaged with the Court, and we repeat today our call for its cooperation.”
Likewise, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon noted that the UN chief “recognizes the authority of the International Criminal Court as an independent judicial institution.
“The Secretary-General trusts that the Government of Sudan will address the issues of peace and justice in a manner consistent with Security Council resolution 1593 (2005),” the spokesperson said, referencing the resolution that initially referred the Darfur situation to the ICC.
Also German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on Sudan to “respect the arrest warrant.” The country’s human rights commissioner, Guenther Nooke, said the ICC had the full support of Germany and its partners in the European Union.
France, Germany and UK are state parties to the treaty governing the ICC, but the USA is not. Therefore, the US was less specific in its call for accountability but nevertheless said that it is “strongly committed to the pursuit of peace in Sudan and believes those who have committed atrocities should be held accountable for their crimes.”
“We urge the Government of Sudan, armed rebel groups, and all other concerned parties to exercise restraint in responding to this development and to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable Sudanese populations, international civilians, and peacekeepers on the ground,” said the US Department of State.
Miliband also emphasized that Sudan should work to implement existing peace deals and commitments, a sentiment also expressed by the US.
“The EU reiterates its full support and respect for the International Criminal Court and its key role in the promotion of international justice,” said the current Czech Presidency of the European Union on behalf of the international body.
The warrant will likely create new restrictions on EU interaction with Al-Bashir and his affiliates, since European officials are banned from interacting with individuals indicted by the ICC.
However, the French spokesperson at a briefing declined to say whether France’s treaty obligation to execute the warrant would trump French law that accords immunity to an acting head of state, if any situation arose in which France could arrest the indicted president.
(ST)