Sudan looks to block ICC move, pledges UN cooperation

July 14, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan on Monday slammed the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s call to arrest President Omar al-Beshir as damaging to peace efforts but vowed to continue cooperation with the United Nations.

Vice President Ali Osman Taha confirmed that Sudan was in contact with the permanent members of the UN Security Council in an effort to block any formal arrest warrant. The council has the power to intervene to defer any prosecution for a year.

“We are not yet finally agreed but we are engaged in discussions with the different members, especially China and Russia,” Taha told a news conference.

“It is clear that if the president of the republic is not in full power then all the government decisions that need his decision, his approval… could be frustrated,” he said.

“We can’t go along with implementing the CPA or other agreements with a president that is subject to international trial,” he added, in reference to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the 2005 deal that ended two decades of civil war in the south.

Sudan does not recognise the ICC and refuses to hand over two other Sudanese — including a current cabinet minister — who face outstanding arrest warrants for alleged crimes in Darfur.

Taha said Sudan would do its utmost to protect aid workers who have expressed fears of retaliation for any indictment but said “nobody can guarantee full security” because of a negative impact on the ground.

He accused ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of being “unprofessional” and “completely wrong” and of downloading his allegations from the Internet.

“This proves there’s been no genocide or collective displacement because of measures taken by Beshir. This was all going on before Beshir” came to power in 1989, he said.

Sudan says the announcement will embolden Darfur rebels, who could launch attacks, and complicate relations with the United Nations.

But the foreign ministry said the ICC move would not deter Sudan from making efforts to find a political solution to the five-year conflict in Darfur, nor would it sever its support for the UN-led peacekeeping mission.

“Definitely we would like to see the hybrid operation continue and we would like to see political talks,” said spokesman Ali al-Sadiq.

“It’s business as usual,” he added, dismissing out of hand speculation among Western officials that the Khartoum government could seek the expulsion of UN or foreign diplomats in retaliation for the ICC move.

Western embassies have advised nationals to limit unnecessary travel and the United Nations has stepped up security amid fears the ICC move could spark violent retaliation.

Western officials had feared Sudan could expel members of the UN-led peacekeeping mission in Darfur or aid groups. Contingency plans have been made for an evacuation and non-essential staff were told to stay at home on Monday.

The African Union has warned that the judicial proceedings against Beshir could jeopardise peace efforts in Darfur, and Sudan is expecting a ministerial meeting at the organisation imminently.

Arab League foreign ministers will hold crisis talks on Sudan in Cairo on Saturday, a League official said.

Small demonstrations of dozens of Sudanese marched on the UN Development Programme office in Khartoum and the British embassy, shouting death to Ocampo and pledging support for Beshir. A large protest is expected on Tuesday.

“Now we are against the ICC and we reject any decision from the ICC,” government spokesman Kamal Obeid told AFP.

Asked if the Sudanese government would take any specific action against the United Nations in response, Obeid replied: “Now we are against the ICC. If the ICC transfers the matter to the UN, then we will have a new reaction.”

He declined to elaborate.

(AFP)