Turkey defends decision to receive Sudanese president

November 5, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – The Turkish government dismissed criticism over its invitation extended to the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to attend the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit this weekend.

The controversy surrounding Bashir’s visit stems from the outstanding arrest warrant for him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes allegedly committed in Darfur.

Sudan has not officially confirmed the Turkey visit though a presidential source told Reuters this week that Bashir plans to attend.

Various unnamed Turkish officials speaking to media asserted that their country is not one of the signatories of the Rome Statute which is the founding text of the ICC.

One official argued that they were simply hosting the OIC meeting with no say on who is invited.

“The OIC is the organizer of the summit…In the past, participants not even recognized by Ankara, such as the GKRY [Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus] were present at such meetings hosted in Turkey,” one of the officials told the Turkish ‘Today’s Zaman’.

He further said that the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1593 referring the Darfur case to the ICC does not oblige non-ICC members to execute the arrest warrants issued by the tribunal.

However, the Turkish Justice minister Sadullah Ergin in statements carried by Hurriyet Daily News was less assertive on the issue saying only that “the statutory provisions of international law would be fulfilled”.

But human rights groups in Turkey contended that even under the local laws Bashir should be apprehended.

“Article 13 of the Turkish penal code says crimes like genocide and crimes against humanity can be prosecuted in Turkey even if they have been committed by foreigners or in foreign countries,” Ozlem Altiparmak, co-ordinator of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court said in an interview with the UAE based ‘The National’.

Gungor Mengi, editor of the Vatan newspaper, called on non-governmental organizations in Turkey to take action in order to prevent Bashir from travelling to Turkey.

However it is unlikely that these attempts would yield any results. In the previous visits by Bashir to Turkey some groups sought the attorney general’s intervention to arrest the Sudanese head of state but they were turned down.

In Washington, Sudan advocacy groups urged US president Barack Obama to pressure Turkey on receiving Bashir on its territory.

“For Turkey, a member of NATO and an aspiring member of the European Union, to welcome President Bashir is frankly baffling. If Turkey is truly committed to the values that would make membership of the European Union possible, it should quickly make clear that President Bashir is absolutely unwelcome” John Norris, Executive Director of the Enough Project said in a statement released today.

Jerry Fowler, President of the Save Darfur Coalition, said that Bashir’s travel “is a test of the administration’s resolve on Sudan. If the President and Secretary of State let it happen without objection, Khartoum will get the message that the newly stated commitment to multilateral leadership is hollow. And for Turkey, it’s an opportunity to align itself with the E.U., most Latin American countries, and the emerging practice in sub-Saharan Africa: Convey to Bashir that he shouldn’t come unless he wants to risk arrest upon landing”.

The US, which has one of its major military bases in Turkey, issued a statement through its embassy in Ankara saying that the US “is strongly committed to pursuing peace in Sudan and believes those who committed atrocities should be held accountable”.

Sudan and Turkey have dramatically improved their relations in the last few years as part of a wider policy to boost trade in the African continent. Recently Bashir attended a meeting of Turkish businessmen in Khartoum and announced that his government removed visa requirements for Turkish citizens.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Turkish businessmen close to the ruling Justice and Development party, which has its roots in political Islam, are at the forefront of efforts to increase trade with mainly Muslim Sudan.

One company employs 1,100 workers in factories in Khartoum that provide uniforms to the Sudanese army. Another is building the Sudanese capital’s tallest skyscraper, the 29-story National Telecommunication Corporation tower. Turkish companies are lobbying hard to win an estimated $1.5 billion contract to build a new international airport in Khartoum.

“Turkey has an active Africa policy, and Sudan is an important African country,” Soli Özel, a Turkish foreign-policy analyst tells WSJ.

“I think [the government] believes it can get away with what is essentially an immoral approach towards Khartoum” he added.

Turkey has expressed concern following the issuance of the arrest warrant saying it could destabilize the country and called for deferring it under Article 16 of the Rome Statute.

(ST)