Egypt says contacts underway to fix Darfur summit’s date

CAIRO, April 6 (KUNA) — Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Abul Gheit said Wednesday six African countries were discussing to set a specific date for a summit meeting on Darfur, expected in Sharm El-Sheikh end of this month.

Egyptian foreign minister Ahemed Abu el-Gheit, left, talks with his Sudanese counterpart Mustafa Osman Ismail, in Cairo Wednesday, April, 6, 2005.(AP).

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Mustafa Ismail, Abul Gheit said discussions were also focusing on the agenda of the summit that will group Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Chad, Nigeria and Gabon.

The major theme of the summit will be ways to ending the Crisis in the Sudanese province of Darfur, and how can the Arabs and Africans deal with UN resolution 1593.

The resolution stipulates international prosecuting the Sudanese persons who committed crimes against humanity in Darfur. UN secretary general Kofi Annan had already handed over 51 criminals’ names to the Hague-based international criminal court’s (ICC) general prosecutor.

Sudan challenged the resolution, which exempted US nationals, and said it would not hand over any suspect. It said its judicial system was capable of prosecuting the criminals.

Abul Gheit said this issue would take time before a final solution was achieved.

He said Egypt was contacting the concerned countries to find a rapid solution to this problem.

He said his talks with Ismail centered on the Darfur crisis and the six-party summit.