November 21, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government downplayed calls made by Amnesty International to arrest president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir should he arrive in Denmark for the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen next month.
Denmark sent an invitation to Bashir noting that despite an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for him, the climate conference is a UN event making it obligated to invite all heads of government without exception.
Thomas Winkler, head of the Danish Foreign Ministry’s legal department, said that his government intends “to comply the [UN] Security Council’s resolution regarding Darfur”.
Denmark is a state party to the founding treaty of the ICC and is obliged to arrest Bashir if he visits.
But Kamal Obeid the Sudanese ruling National Congress Party (NCP) information Secretary said that the invitation was addressed to the government and not to Bashir personally adding that no decision has been made on the level of participation.
He also said that Amnesty International calls “is a repetition of the group’s hostile stance towards Sudan”.
Amnesty International urged the Danish government to make it clear that Bashir will be arrested if he travels to Copenhagen.
It is unlikely that Bashir will attend the summit as he as avoided travelling to all countries that have ratified the Rome Statute since the issuance of the arrest warrant.
(ST)
حركة العدل و المساواة السودانية
موقع متخصص بنقل آخر الأخبار و البيانات و القرارات لحركة العدل و المساواة السودانية