Sudanese president arrives in Turkey for Africa summit

August 18, 2008 (ISTANBUL) – For the first time since his indictment by the International Criminal Court prosecutor, the Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir flied outside the country to attend a summit to promote Turkish-African relations on Monday.

Al-Bashir arrived in Istanbul Monday to take part in the first Turkey-Africa Summit which takes place in Istanbul from 19 to 22 August. Turkey aims at boosting trade and business ties with the African countries.

Bashir who is one of five African presidents to participate personally the conference, is also expected to meet his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul on the sidelines of the meeting. Gull last January described Darfur crisis as “a humanitarian tragedy” but Turkish Islamist government succeeded to build a strong economic presence in Sudan.

On July 14, Bashir became the first sitting head of state accused by the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur region.

However, the ICC pre-trial chamber judges are not expected to examine the case before November. Also Turkey is not party to the Rome Statue of the ICC. Also, there is no obligation, even for ICC members, to arrest al-Bashir since the judges didn’t issue an arrest warrant.

Al-Bashir is expected to raise his indictment by the ICC in the forum and seek to have its support. Sudan has dismissed the ICC as a Western conspiracy against the country and a tool against third world nations only.

Human Rights Watch expressed concerns that Turkey had chosen to welcome Bashir at this time and urged Ankara to reject any effort to suspend the investigation.

“The Turkish government should reject efforts by Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir to secure a suspension of the International Criminal Court’s investigation against him” the rights watchdog said.

This is not the first time that Turkish government has come under fire for close contacts with the Sudanese president. Last January rights organisation criticized Bashir visit and called on Turkish leaders to press him to end ongoing bloodshed and abuses in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Al Bashir’s delegation includes Bakri Hassan Salih, Minister of the Presidency, Deng Alor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Awad Ahmed jazz Minister of Finance, Tijani Saleh Fadail Minister of International Cooperation and Zubair Bashir Taha, Minister of Agriculture.

(ST)