Sudan’s Bashir arrives in Jordan for Arab summit
March 28, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir Tuesday has arrived in Jordan for the annual meeting of the Arab leaders, defying calls by rights groups to arrest the first sitting head of state ever indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Upon his arrival at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Al-Bashir was received by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, whose country is hosting the 28th Arab summit which begins on Wednesday.
The Arab Summit will be attended by 16 Arab leaders, delegations from various countries and international organisations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterich will attend the summit. Delegations representing Russia, United States, China, Britain and France will also attend.
The Arab summit which is held at the Dead Sea, at a few kilometres from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, is expected to endorse a resolution on Jerusalem and to voice their opposition to any international recognition of the disputed city as a capital of Israel.
The decision is seen as a reaction to the electoral pledge of U.S. President Donald Trump to move its embassy there.
The Arab leaders also are expected to point to Iran meddling in the Arab affairs.
The summit will provide an opportunity for President al-Bashir to meet with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to discuss the strained relations.
(ST)