Sudanese diplomat: International court has political agenda (Extra)

Jul 12, 2008, 13:43 GMT

Cairo - Sudan's ambassador to Egypt Saturday accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) of having a political agenda and turning a blind eye to genocide committed by Israel and the US in Iraq and Afghanistan and against the Palestinians.

Abdel-Monei Mabruk told reporters that his country has not ratified the treaty establishing the ICC, which he said was applying double standards in dealing with Israel and the US.

His comments, carried by the Egyptian state news agency MENA, came after Sudan called for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss reports that the court prosecutor may seek a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar Bashir.

An ICC prosecution statement said that Prosecutor Luis Moreno- Ocampo was due to put forward to judges evidence on crimes committed in Darfur in the past five years and would seek to make charges against individuals.

No further details were revealed but United Nations officials were quoted by The Washington Post as saying Bashir would be charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. Mabruk urged the international community to stop the 'dangerous position' of the ICC.

'We call on Arab and Islamic countries to confront this dangerous attitude, which would have serious repercussions on the Arab and Islamic worlds and pose threat to peace and order in those countries,' Mabruk said.