Jordan, Yemen, and South Africa Oppose Charging Sudanese President by ICC Prosecutor

South African president opposes charging Sudanese president

www.chinaview.cn 2008-07-27 12:12:41

PARIS, July 26 (Xinhua) --

South African President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday voiced his objection to the charge against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, saying such an indictment would block the peace process in Darfur.

Mbeki told South African public television during the first European Union-South Africa summit in Bordeaux, France that the peace process could not be implemented without the active engagement of President Bashir.

On July 14, The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno- Ocampo formally requested an arrest warrant against Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

Mbeki also said he was ready to meet Bashir to discuss Moreno-Ocampo's accusation.

African Union's Peace and Security Council has called on African countries at a July 17 meeting to boycott the ICC's intervention in Darfur issue.

Yemen rejects ICC charges against Sudanese president

www.chinaview.cn 2008-07-27 09:41:01

SANAA, July 26 (Xinhua) --

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salehopposed Saturday the charges filed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and voiced his support to the Sudanese stance on the issue.

Meeting with visiting Sudanese Attorney General Abdel Basit Sabdarat, the Yemeni president said that Yemen rejects any interference in Sudan's internal affairs at any pretense.

Sabdarat conveyed a letter from Bashir to Saleh, which expressed thanks for and appreciation of Yemeni support for the Sudanese people and Sudan's peace process.

In a phone call with Bashir earlier, Saleh said the ICC charges would bring more unstable factors to the country,

On July 14, The Hague-based ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno- Ocampo formally requested an arrest warrant against Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

It was the first time that the ICC seeks to charge a sitting head of state, a move decried by Khartoum as undermining peace efforts in the restive Darfur region.

At an emergency meeting of the Arab League (AL), the Arab foreign ministers said the move of the ICC would undermine Sudan's sovereignty, stressing that only Sudanese courts have jurisdiction on this kind of issues.

Editor: Du Guodong

Jordan's lower house opposes charges against Sudanese president

www.chinaview.cn 2008-07-24 21:31:04

AMMAN, July 24 (Xinhua) --

Jordan's lower house opposed the charges filed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and voiced support to the Sudanese stance on the issue, Jordan's official news agency Petra reported Thursday.

"We are following up on developments related to the decision of the ICC and we are convinced that it is of a political nature that serves the interest of some countries," said Jordanian Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Abdul Hadi Majali when meeting Ghazi Salahiddin, advisor to the Sudanese president.

The speaker hailed the Arab stance which rejects the ICC charges, adding the lower house of Jordan fully supports Arab positions in general.

Majali also urged all Sudanese forces to adopt a unified position to confront the ICC move.

On July 14, The Hague-based ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo formally requested an arrest warrant against Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

It was the first time that the ICC was asked to charge a sitting head of state, a move decried by Khartoum as undermining peace efforts in the restive Darfur.

Sudan, which is not a signatory to the court, has rejected the ICC allegations, dismissing them as "null and false" and maintaining the ICC has no jurisdiction over Sudan.

On July 19, Arab foreign ministers lashed out at the accusations made by Moreno-Ocampo, describing the move as "unacceptable" and "unbalanced."

At the end of an emergency meeting of the Arab League (AL), the Arab foreign ministers said the move of the ICC chief prosecutor would undermine Sudan's sovereignty, stressing that only Sudanese courts have jurisdiction on this kind of issues.

Editor: Bi Mingxin

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