South Africa is willing to support efforts to end Sudan’s conflicts
September 15, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — South Africa’s Foreign Minister today expressed its country readiness to help ongoing efforts to settle Sudan’s conflict particularly the six year conflict in the troubled Darfur province.
The meeting is the first of its kind between Bashir and a South African official since Pretoria made formally announced in late July that it is legally obliged to execute an arrest warrant for the Sudanese president issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The announcement came contrary to Pretoria’s endorsement of a resolution by the African Union (AU) summit in Libya weeks before that instructing its members not to cooperate with the ICC.
Sudanese officials issued various statements afterwards blasting Pretoria’s position that was shared by other African states including Uganda and Botswana.
Speaking to the press following the meeting, the visiting minister stressed that South Africa country was willing to help the Sudanese government to overcome all difficulties and to settle all political disputes and armed conflicts.
“We have ideas and previous experience in how to resolve conflicts and internal disputes, and we are ready to submit these ideas to our brothers in Sudan if they want it because we do not wish to impose on them any options,” she said.
Nkoana-Mashabane reaffirmed South Africa readiness to continue its peace efforts in the Darfur region, saying that “we have a wide participation in the United Nations-African Union joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), and we are ready to continue all the efforts conducive to peace in Darfur.”
South Africa and the Sudan launched a structured bilateral mechanism in May 2006 called the Joint Bilateral Commission which convenes at both ministerial and senior officials’ levels.
In addition South Africa is the Chair of the AU Ministerial Commission on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development of the Sudan.
Foreign Minister Deng Alor reaffirmed today Sudan’s willingness to enhance bilateral relations with South Africa. The SPLM minister in the national unity government also pointed that Pretoria has played an important role in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and is also actively participating in the peacekeeping force in Darfur
On South Africa’s position on an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Courts (ICC) against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Alor said South Africa’s position did not differ from the position of the African Union, which decided unanimously not to deal with the ICC.
Sudanese officials issued various statements afterwards blasting Pretoria’s position that was shared by other African states including Uganda and Botswana.
Bashir’s adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen said that they raised the issue of the ICC with Nkoana-Mashabane noting that South Africa had objected to the arrest warrant.
He said that dialogue would continue on that issue with all African states but did not reveal what the South African official said on her country’s position.
The South African government of Jacob Zuma has been walking tightrope given its status as a signatory to the Rome Statute and its political support to voices within the continent calling for suspending the Bashir warrant.
However, Pretoria’s government lawyers advised that it would not be possible for South Africa to renege on its legal obligations under the ICC statute saying it would violate its own constitution.
The South African delegation is expected to head for Juba for talks with southern Sudan leader on capacity building projects implemented there by South Africa.
(ST)