China calls for renewed political push to resolve Darfur crisis

January 9, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan must work to enhance internal dialogue in order to reach a settlement to the raging crisis the Western region of Darfur, a senior Chinese official said.

The Chinese special envoy to Sudan Liu Guijin told reporters during a press conference that Khartoum must work to consolidate efforts of the UN and African Union (AU) to sit down with all parties including political parties and rebel groups.

Guijin warned that a political solution “is non-existent” in Darfur and urged civil society to work on supporting the peace process and development in the region.

On Tuesday the Chinese envoy started a four day visit to Sudan nation for talks with Sudanese official on the Darfur crisis amid a widely expected decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges to issue an arrest warrant for president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir in the coming weeks.

The Chinese official met with Al-Bashir yesterday and called the ICC move “disastrous” for peace prospects in Darfur.

He also said that he carried specific proposals to further the political process in Darfur but did not elaborate.

Guijin met with officials from the US, France, Britain and Russia and discussed the ICC issue calling on them to support a suspension to Al-Bashir’s indictment.

The African Union (AU), Arab League, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) have called on the UNSC to invoke Article 16 of the ICC Statute which allows the council to suspend the ICC prosecutions in any case for a period of 12 months that can be renewed indefinitely.

However the Chinese envoy ruled out any possibility of his government introducing such a resolution and instead called on African nations at the UNSC to introduce one.

He hailed efforts undertaken by Khartoum in cooperating with the international community and facilitating the deployment of UN peacekeepers in Darfur.

Guijin will fly next to the Ethiopian capital to meet with the AU chairman Jean Ping.

China is considered as close ally to Khartoum. Beijing had been blamed for preventing the UN UNSC from taking concrete measures against Khartoum. It is also accused of providing weapons to the Sudanese army. China has important oil investments in Sudan.

However China abstained from voting on resolution 1593 referring crimes in Darfur to the world court in March 2005 angering Sudanese officials who wanted the permanent UNSC member to veto it.

(ST)