UN still waiting for Sudan’s reaction to Resolution 1593

KHARTOUM, Apr 13, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — The UN Special Mission to Sudan has announced that it is still waiting for the government’s official reaction to Resolution 1593 on the referral of Darfur crimes suspects to the International Criminal Court.

Sudanese protestors carry placards and banners during a protest march in Khartoum April 5, 2005. (Reuters) .

Speaking to the press today, UN Spokesman George Somerwill said that the talks between the special mission and the government on how to cooperate and coordinate their stances on Resolution 1593 were still continuing.

Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir has vowed not to hand over any of his compatriot for trial abroad, the first of its kind for Sudanese nationals.

The Sudanese government said that the UN Security Council’s resolution will have a negative effect on current efforts to bring peace and stability to the country.

Somerwill affirmed, however, that the security and humanitarian situation had improved in Darfur except in Mountain Mura region because of what he described as unstable security situation.

He pointed out, nevertheless, that the attacks had remarkably gone down.

He went on to say that the UN agencies and foreign organizations were working to improve the humanitarian situation.

The resolution was officially rejected by the Sudanese government as a violation of its sovereignty, saying it “targets Sudan and its leadership.”

Foreign minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said al-Bashir presides over the higher committee, while the lower diplomatic committee is an affiliate of the el-Bashir body.

He indicated the Bashir-led committee was undertaking a comprehensive study of the resolution and will submit its recommendations to the Council of Ministers, while the diplomatic committee was working on political and other implications of the resolution.

Thousands of people have been killed and many more displaced since conflicts erupted in Darfur in February 2003 when local rebels took up arms against the government for negligence.