Sudan rejects Egypt’s proposal for international conference to discuss Bashir indictment

March 7, 2009 (CAIRO) – The Sudanese government brushed aside a proposal by Egypt for an international summit to discuss ICC’s prosecution of Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.

The Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit has reportedly sent “urgent messages” to P-5 members at the UN Security Council (UNSC) members regarding the confrontation between Sudan and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The court, set up in 2002, indicted Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture. The three-judge panel said it had insufficient grounds for genocide.

Egyptian media quoted the foreign ministry spokesperson Hussam Zaki as saying that the messages “emphasized the need to deal in a comprehensive manner with the challenges facing Sudan”.

Zaki said the letters also posed an invitation for an international conference that brings key world and regional players to agree on a common vision to tackle issues facing Sudan particularly the Darfur crisis “in its security, political and humanitarian” aspects.

However the Egyptian diplomat did not specify a date for the proposed conference but said that the main item on its agenda would be to “reconcile the political and judicial considerations in light of the ICC decision”.

But the Sudanese state minister for foreign affairs Ali Karti rejected any such conference saying it will “internationalize the Sudan and Darfur issues”.

“If there are certain parties that want to internationalize this issue Sudan will not accept it” Karti told the Qatar based Al-Jazeera television.

Sudan’s position will likely anger Cairo which has lent its support to Bashir following the ICC decision.

This week Egypt reacted to the ICC decision by saying that there is a need to suspend Bashir’s indictment “to give a chance to achieving stability in Sudan and reaching a settlement in Darfur”.

Aboul-Gheit said that his country has previously warned from “irresponsible” dealing with Sudan issue stressing that “comprehensive and just political settlement to Darfur issue”.

Egypt considers Sudan crucial to its national security particularly with regards to ensuring the flow of the Nile water.

(ST)