Sudan aims to build up a front against western interference

Dubai: Sudan is set to launch a diplomatic campaign to explain the consequences of the International Criminal Court's indictment against President Omar Al Bashir on the security of the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Sudan aims at building up a front against western interference in third world countries.

A top presidential advisor told Gulf News yesterday that the criminal charges against the head of the state is 'very dangerous' for the future of Arab and Islamic nations and on the stability and unity of African countries and a front must be formed among targeted countries to reject it.

Dr Gazi Salah Al Deen, Adviser to the Sudanese President said in Dubai that any resolution from the Security Council to force Sudan to hand over its president or any of its citizens will be rejected by the people of Sudan. "Sudanese from different parts of the country have rallied firmly behind the president since the charges were filed by Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the prosecutor of the ICC on July 14. The charges have actually reinforced the government position rather than weakening it," he stressed.

Salah Al Deen rejected also the French proposal to hand over two Sudanese officials to the court in return for scrapping down the charges against the president and described it as naïve, silly and immoral. He said Sudan will never recognise the court on any condition. He also said Sudan will defy any Security Council resolution which it feels unjustly breaches its sovereignty as an independent state and is steadfast to its 'just' cause regardless of the sacrifices that might be required. "How can an appointed employee like Ocampo charge an elected president like Al Bashir against the will of the Sudanese people?" asked Al Deen.

Pressures

He said President Al Bashir will run for the next presidential term scheduled to be held early next year and will not bow to western pressures to step down at this stage. He promised that the presidential election will be transparent and fair.

"Our country has a parliament and a constitution. The impeachment of the president has to come through defined constitutional steps specified by the law. Any other way of impeachment is not accepted by the people of Sudan," he said. He said the recent involvement of the ICC is not going to help people in Darfur and a number of factions including those who are still against the government are not with the complication of the situation in the region caused by the charges against the president.

"Sudanese government is working on formulating a 'national initiative' according to which every political movement in the country will become a partner in the national unity government," he said.

Salah Al Deen said Arab and Islamic countries, in addition to the African Union have rejected the ICC charges. "We have assurances that non of these countries will cooperate with the ICC in the Sudanese case," he added.

He reinstated Sudan's stance regarding the illegitimacy of the court since the country did not sign the Rome Treaty that lead to the establishment of the court.

Salah Al Deen said the court cannot serve justice and stability in the world because it has to accept cases referred to it from the Security Council, "the most politicised and undemocratic body in the world" according to the Sudanese official.