UN has no information about Bashir’s visa application : spokesperson
May 20, 2016 (WASHINGTON) – The United Nations spokesperson said they are not aware of the application of President Omer al-Bashir for a U.S. visa to attend the next United Nations General Assembly.
“I have no way of confirming whether or not the President of Sudan has applied for a visa,” said . UN Secretary-General spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, when he was sked during the daily press briefing on Friday.
“Obviously the Secretary General would hope that every Member State is represented at the migration meeting and obviously at the General Assembly meeting,” he added.
In 2013 and 2014, al-Bashir had applied twice for a visa but the U.S. administration didn’t respond to his application, rejecting it tacitly.
United States is not a state party to Rome Statute of the war crimes tribunal, but supports the arrest warrants issued by the ICC for the Sudanese president.
However Sudanese officials says Bashir has the right to travel to United Nations and Washington as host country should not refuse to deliver his visa.
“If a country hosting UN institutions refuses to give visas to any other country’s delegation for attending UN activities, then the host country is violating its legal commitment,” said the Sudanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail in a news conference held in Khartoum on Thursday.
In a briefing to the press on 12 May, U.S. Department Spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau, reiterated Washington’s support to the ICC arrest warrants against Bashir.
“We strongly support the ICC’s efforts to hold accountable those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Darfur,” said Trudeau.
She further condemned Uganda and Djibouti for inviting the Sudanese president to take part in the searing-in ceremony of Presidents Museveni and Guelleh.
(ST)