Egypt warns against pressure on Sudan’s Darfur suspects trial

CAIRO, June 15, 2005 (Xinhua) — Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit warned Wednesday against pushing Sudan too hard over trials of war crime suspects in the troubled western Darfur region.

“Sudan’s government has expressed readiness to comply with a UN resolution and hold necessary investigations in Darfur,” Abul Gheitsaid after a meeting with International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.

The Egyptian top diplomat stressed Khartoum should be given the opportunity to “enforce the law and bring criminals to justice.”

Khartoum has been under pressure to send war crime suspects in Darfur to the ICC in The Hague for trial, but it maintains it has the legal framework to prosecute the suspects in Sudan.

Abul Gheit warned the adoption of strict measures against Sudan over the issue, saying such measures could “negatively affect current efforts to settle Sudan’s Darfur crisis.”

Such measures could also “give an opportunity to certain partiesto widen the scope of the crisis”, added the Egyptian foreign minister who did not elaborate.

ICC announced earlier this month investigation into human rightsviolations and other atrocities committed in Darfur since rebels took up arms against the government in early 2003.

Sudan has refused to refer war crime suspects in Darfur conflictto the ICC in line with a UN Security Council resolution.