Sudan seeks Latin America support against ICC
August 14, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Ali Ahmed Karti, the state minister of foreign affairs, will begin tomorrow a tour to four Latin America states in a campaign to gain their support and counter the International Criminal Court Prosecutor move to arrest Sudanese president.
Karti stated in Khartoum today he will hand over messages from president Omer al-Bashir to his counterparts in Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil and Argentina.
He further said he will brief these presidents upon Sudan’s rejection of the charges filed by Argentinean ICC prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, against the Sudanese president.
Also he will review with them efforts exerted by the government to bring peace in the troubled region of Darfur and requested their support for the positions of Sudan in international and regional forums.
The state minister also expected to meet the foreign ministers of the four states for the same purpose.
Sudanese president appointed on July 16 an ICC crisis committee headed by his first deputy Salva Kiir to undertake diplomatic and legal actions to counter Ocampo’s charges against al Bashir.
On the diplomatic level Sudan, successfully mobilised the Arab League and the African Union support. It also gained the support of the non aligned movement and the Islamic Conference Organisation.
As it is plan to focus on the diplomatic front and to be backed by the U.N. General Assembly next September, Sudan needs the support of the Latin American continent particularly countries hostile to the U.S. like Venezuela and Cuba who will try to lobby other countries in the region.
(ST)