Arab League, Sudan warn of international court crisis (Roundup)

Jul 12, 2008, 14:11 GMT

Cairo - The Arab League and Sudan warned Saturday against the International Criminal Court (ICC) becoming 'politicised' after Khartoum 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 over killings in Darfur.

The Arab League's spokesman, Hesham Yussif, told reporters Arab countries were against the politicizing of the ICC and interference in Sudan's affairs.

The league's Secretary-General Amr Mussa was in consultation with Arab foreign ministers and their African counterparts on the issue, according to Yussif.

The Cairo-based body, its spokesman said, will decide the date of the meeting and action to be taken based on the consultations and the outcome of the ICC meeting on Monday.

Separately, Sudanese Ambassador to Egypt Abdel-Monei Mabruk told reporters that his country has not ratified the treaty establishing the ICC.

The ICC was applying double standards in dealing with Israel and the US, turning a blind eye to 'genocide' committed by both countries in Iraq, Afghanistan and against the Palestinians.

ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is expected to open a new war crimes case on Darfur on Monday. An ICC prosecution statement said Thursday he 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 Sudanese President Omar Bashir would be charged with genocide and crimes against humanity.

Sudan has formally asked the Arab League to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis. Khartoum's request was seconded by Syria, according to the league spokesman.

Last year, ICC judges issued arrest warrants for two Sudanese, the minister Ahmed Harun and militia commander Ali Kushayb, but the Sudanese government said it would not hand them over.

The crisis in Sudan's western Darfur province erupted when non- Arab rebels staged an uprising in 2003 against the predominantly Arab central government and Khartoum-backed nomadic militias.

Some 200,000 people have died, according to international estimates, and about 2.5 million have been displaced since 2003.