Sudan’s Bashir to travel ‘selectively’ and in ‘secrecy’: Official
March 11, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government will implement new rules for the travel of president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir according to a foreign ministry official.
The London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat quoted the official whose name was not disclosed as saying that Bashir will continue to make foreign trips before adding that his travel will be “subject to a selectivity process”.
Furthermore the official said that Bashir’s travel plans “will be surrounded by as much secrecy as possible”.
The Sudanese leader faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.
The statements mark the first time Khartoum acknowledged the impact of the warrant on Bashir’s movement. Previously Sudanese officials dismissed the ICC and expressed confidence that no country will execute the arrest warrant even those who are members of The Hague-based court.
This week Bashir skipped on a scheduled trip to Addis Ababa for the annual supreme joint committee meeting that was to be co-chaired by Ethiopian Prime minister Meles Zenawi.
Sudanese media made no mention of the cancellation or provide reasons behind it but reported that the committee will convene on April 11th.
The ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said last week that Bashir risks apprehension once he leaves Sudanese airspace.
The Sudanese president next scheduled foreign trip will be to the Arab Gulf State of Qatar for the annual Arab summit. Sudan has not received an official invitation as of yet but officials in Khartoum asserted that he will attend.
The Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jasim Al-Thani told reporters yesterday that Bashir “is welcomed in Qatar”.
“The summit is an Arab meeting, it is not for Qatar or Sudan….Sudan will be invited, and it’s up to the Sudanese government weather to attend or not” he said.
Qatar is not a member of the ICC’s Rome Statute and is therefore under no legal obligation to arrest Bashir.
Sudan does not recognize the jurisdiction of the court because it has not ratified its founding treaty.
The UNSC issued resolution 1593 under chapter VII in March 2005 referring the situation in Darfur to the ICC.
(ST)