Sudanese president vows ‘objective dialogue’ with West
May 27, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir was sworn in today for a new five-year term following his win in April’s elections vowing to engage with the west and end war in restive region of Darfur.
At the parliament building packed with newly elected lawmakers and foreign dignitaries Bashir read the oath followed by Sudan’s national anthem.
The leaders of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Chad, Djibouti, Central African Republic, Malawi, and Mauritania were present at the ceremony. There were also low and mid-level representatives from Kenya, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Palestinian authority and South Africa.
Rights groups called on world governments to boycott the inauguration of Bashir given his indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur.
The arrest warrant already took a toll on Bashir’s international travel and contacts with world officials particularly Western ones.
In his inauguration address Al-Bashir said that the foreign policy of the new government “emanates from the divine teaching that call for tolerance and contact and cooperation with others”.
“I will personally strive to build up a dialogue, an objective dialogue with Western states aimed at clearing the atmosphere,” he said.
He further said that Sudan is keen on attracting the international community’s support without conceding the free will of the nation.
Sudan’s relations with the West has deteriorated rapidly since Bashir took power in 1989 in a bloodless coup over harboring Islamic extremists groups, civil wars political oppression and human right violations.
The Darfur crisis that raged in 2003 has further strained the relations despite a landmark North-South peace accord in 205 that ended Africa’s longest civil war.
The Sudanese president said that his country wants to open a new page in its international relations “based on refraining from violence and adherence to tolerance, mutual respect and international cooperation”
Bashir also stressed that Sudan wants to maintain “its internationally recognized records in combating terrorism, crimes and drugs”.
On the South Sudan 2011 referendum, Bashir assured that it will be held on time in a “free atmosphere” and would be monitored by local and international observers and that its outcome will be respected.
“I stress that we are committed… to holding the referendum in the south on its scheduled date, it is a commitment we will not renege on. We made a vow and we will adhere to it,” Bashir said.
“We will accept, in good faith, the choice of the south, whatever the choice may be,” he said, but stressed he would work for unity.
“Our position is a belief in unity. We call for it, we will plan for it and we will work for it,” Bashir said vowing no return to war.
The southern vote on independence is set for Jan. 9, 2011 and is a key focus of the international community, which wants to avoid a return to bloodshed and is keen for the former foes to agree on issues like the north-south border, along which much of Sudan’s oil wealth lies.
He also vowed to work “to achieve security and stability in Darfur,” where the seven-year-old conflict has cost the lives of 300,000 people, according to the United Nations; 10,000, according to Khartoum.
(ST)