South Africa FM reiterates resolve to arrest Sudan president if he visits
June 1, 2010 (WASHINGTON) — The South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane confirmed that her country intends to honor its legal obligations and apprehend Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir should he sets foot in the country.
Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly masterminding the commission war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Western region of Darfur. South Africa is a signatory to the ICC founding treaty.
Last week South African president Jacob Zuma said that even though Bashir was invited along with other African leaders to attend the FIFA World Cup Finals, hosted by Johannesburg he is still subject to arrest if he attends because of the ICC arrest warrant.
“South Africa respects the international law and certainly we are signatories [to ICC Statute] and we abide by the law,” Zuma told lawmakers in response to a question on Bashir’s status.
But on Monday the Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson Muawiya Osman Khalid said that his government verified that Zuma was misrepresented by the news media to serve an agenda adding that his stance is consistent with the position of the African Union (AU).
However, the South African International Relations and Cooperation ministry said in a statement that Nkoana-Mashabane reiterated “Zuma’s pronouncement that if the Sudanese President was to visit the country, he will be arrested as South Africa was a signatory to the international justice system”.
The remarks came at her meeting with her French Counterpart, Bernard Kouchner on Monday on the fringes of the Africa-France Summit.
(ST)
Dengtaath
South Africa FM reiterates resolve to arrest Sudan president if he visits
Let the dictator keep his wrong doers inside Sudan with out stepping that evil food on other peaceful nations. Good work for Zuma and down for others African states who are still working with Bashier the criminal.
Aketch
SOUTH AFRICA THE FAIR NATION
It’s very Ironical that African states always cry out for international help in the continent being in form of food aid, medical supplies and serves,clean water and most importantly the military reinforcement when they can’t actually help themselves.Look at the way some selfish states within the continent are treating the deep-rooted problems in the Sudan by barking out their ingnorance behind their so-called African head of state.
when the president of their African state (Omar el Bashir in this case) was indicted by the ICC , is this aganist Africans or against humanity
Poor mates u buried the reality within your ignorant and naivety.
Atleast South Africa state is the only ICC signatory state that expresses her concern over Sudanses problems unlike the other African states who are ICC signatories.
shame on President Omar Hassan and his ignorant disciples.
Deng Aketch
A concerned Sudanese in Diapora
Kur
South Africa FM reiterates resolve to arrest Sudan president if he visits
If Zuma was misquoted, let Bashir try to attend the World Cup finals in South Africa. I hope he goes if he is really a man who fears nothing.
Kur