UnitedNations officials say the International Criminal Court may seek an arrestwarrant Monday for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in connection with warcrimes in the Darfur region. The court says chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampowill submit evidence Monday alleging crimes committed in the region over thelast five years. President al-Bashir isamong several top Sudanese government officials that could be named in thecase.
Sudan'sambassador to the UN, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, says Khartoum willcontinue its policy of not cooperating with the ICC, no matter who is named asa suspect: "For us," he said, "It does not exist. We are not part of it; we are not party to theRome Statute. So like the US, which is not a member, we are not a member."
He alsowarned that the ICC's actions could undermine the peace process in Darfur. Hesaid the move could bring about serious repercussions: "All options are open for our reaction to this revelation,and indeed [ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo] is playing with fire. The UN has a very constructive engagementwith Sudan; they are dealing on various tracks [with regard to] the peaceprocess and humanitarian?. The ICC is going to spoil all these things and bringus back to square one and put the security of the entire population injeopardy. He is opening the gates of fire for the whole country and this shouldbe stopped without any delay."
Whenasked if the move would endanger UN peacekeepers in Sudan, Ambassador Abdalmahmood said, "The Sudan governmentis careful to its commitment. The UNalso promised to guard against any threat to this commitment. The UN shouldalso play a role in safeguarding this cooperation and partnership. The Sudanesegovernment is not at all hostile to the United Nations. [The UN staff andpeacekeepers] are the guests of the entire country but if there are any threatsto security and stability of the country we are all in one boat. The entire countrywould suffer, not just one group here and there.