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Sudan says some countries unhappy about Doha agreement

February 17, 2009 (NEW YORK) — The Sudanese government today accused unspecified countries of being dissatisfied with the fact that they signed an agreement with Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar.

Sudanese ambassador at the UN Abdel-Mahmood Abdel-Haleem
Sudanese ambassador at the UN Abdel-Mahmood Abdel-Haleem
Khartoum and JEM signed a declaration of goodwill expressing their willingness to engage in peace process, three years following the rebel group’s rejection of the Abuja deal in May 2006.

“We note that some circles in the international community are frightened by this agreement.…..You can judge by yourself how this agreement angered some quarters here” Sudanese ambassador at the UN Abdel-Mahmood Abdel-Haleem told reporters today following a UN Security Council (UNSC) briefing on Sudan.

The Sudanese envoy singled out France saying it is keeping a Darfur rebel leader who resides on its territory from attending any peace talks.

“We note that French government still holding rebel leader from joining the peace process…. He is well protected by the French. We hold them also responsible for any sabotage to the peace process in the Sudan” Abdel-Haleem said.

He also said that French president Nicolas Sarkozy promised Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir on two occasions to expel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) leader Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur if he continues to refuse to go to the negotiation tables.

The Sudanese ambassador said the last time Sarkozy made such a pledge was during his meeting with Bashir in Qatar last November.

The US ambassador at the UN Susan Rice hailed the Doha agreement saying that is a “potentially modest first step” before warning that it does not amount to a “cessation of hostilities or a ceasefire agreement”.

Rice however said there should be no linkage between the Doha outcome and an imminent arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Al-Bashir.

“The United States position has been and remains that we see no circumstances or other actions to date that would change our judgment at this point that an Article 16 deferral is unwarranted Rice said.

The US official’s remarks drew a strong rebuke from her Sudanese counterpart.

“The objective of the US from this ICC issue is regime change…. She did not note the remarkable progress achieved today… She [Rice] needs time to change from activist to a diplomat” Abdel-Haleem said.

He also said that Article 16 is ‘part and parcel’ with the provisions contained in the Rome Statute which forms the basis of the ICC.

A joint Arab League-African Union (AU) delegation in New York failed to convince UNSC members last week with the need to invoke Article which allows the UNSC to suspend the ICC prosecutions in any case for a period of 12 months that can be renewed indefinitely.

ICC judges are expected to release a decision this month authorizing an arrest warrant for Bashir on unspecified number of charges.

Last July the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo requested that the judges issue an arrest warrant for Bashir on three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder.

Ocampo accused Al-Bashir of masterminding a campaign to get rid of the African tribes in Darfur; Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.

(ST)

9 Comments

  • william wol
    william wol

    Sudan says some countries unhappy about Doha agreement
    You ambassador, French government is not the one who spearheaded all these wars in War loving country (Sudan) but you warmongers arabs, therefore, you needed not to blame any country for whatever going wrong within, just advice your terrorist in khartoum to do justice across the country, and that should be the only tool for acheiving stability and leaving peace in Sudan or else other more rebellions are coming in as a result of your government brutally leadership.

    Check yourself before blaming any.

    William wol.

    Reply
  • tayeb M. Alhassan
    tayeb M. Alhassan

    Sudan says some countries unhappy about Doha agreement
    If rain falls in Washington people have to open umbrellas in the rest of the world. It would have happened if President Obama has not taken the Oval Office and the war mongers still in charge.

    Hostilities were over soon after these, on photo, gentlemen made shake hands, tension down tuned allover Sudan. Definitely sure the situation in Darfur will gradually will get from better to best and Dr. Khalil if likes can go alone now to meet Zaghawa folks in Souk Libya or eat fresh roasted meat in Souk Al-Naga west of Omurman.

    First we thank Allah for these blessings over poured on our country then we thank Qatar, US, UN and all people of good will for the spectacular appreciated support.

    Reply
  • Lual Garang De Lual
    Lual Garang De Lual

    Sudan says some countries unhappy about Doha agreement
    Mr. Ambassador how could you accuse some countries especially the France for being unhappy about your so-called confident building measures which i know you will not adhere to the signature. Mr. Ambassador the problems of Darfur and Sudan in general were born, nurtured and milk by the Arabs without France. “Mind you that your Government is going to collapse because of the useless accusation against foriegn governments which have nothing to do with the Sudanese affairs. Last year, when JEM attacked Kharoum your president accused Chad, Libya, France and Israel to mention but a few. How can you survive if all these powerful countries do have conspiracies against your weak brutal government which kills,rapes, molests and abducts its people without mercy. Shame on you Mr. Ambassador for your arrogent insult during diplomatic talks like the way you response to the Croatian Ambassador at the UNSC session. This is the way narrow minded people like you talk while facing the press, you can’t show your anger at other countries while under fire at your own house.

    Your accusation towards stable sovereign countries is only making you more enemies than friends as you think. The Darfur atrocities can’t be hidden through allegations but making concrete measures on the ground is the solution. You listen to Dr. Khalil Ibrahim says that he can pull out of the talks if it is going to spare president Al Bashire from justice. So, mind your allegations within Sudanese borders and leave the entry civilize world in peace. You would rather advise Al Bashire to surrender to the ICC instead of barking at foreign ambassadors at the UNSC session and pointing fingers at innocent countries who never knew what started the crisis in the Sudan but your government can easily acknowledge but denied it intentionally to cover up your atrocities which are in place since independent of Sudan.
    The history of Sudan will never remember you.

    God curse your government forever and ever.

    Reply
  • Dinka Aliap Chawul
    Dinka Aliap Chawul

    Sudan says some countries unhappy about Doha agreement
    SUDAN(NCP)-JEM is a welcome development but my fear is that these warmongers will start another war in another part of Sudan.

    Reply
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