Khartoum criticizes UN demand for handing over al-Bashir

Sudan government on Thursday criticized demand by deputy spokesman for the UN Secretary-General to hand over Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"I hope what he said does not represent the position of the UN Secretary-General," Ibrahim Ghandour, Sudan's Foreign Minister, told reporters at Khartoum airport upon return of Al-Bashir after participating in the Arab summit in Amman, Jordan.

"We will investigate through our diplomatic channels and via our mission in New York to know who is behind this statement, whether it is individual or representing the UN stance," he added.

He went on saying the UN is a comprehensive organization, where respecting a president who is elected by people is important and necessary, besides that the ICC does not belong to the UN and many countries are not members of it.

On Wednesday, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, reportedly demanded handing over al-Bashir to the ICC coincident with his participation in the 28th Arab Summit.

Haq was reportedly reiterated at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York that al-Bashir should be brought before the ICC to stand trial on charges of committing "war crimes and crimes against humanity" in Sudan's Darfur region.

He said the UN was urging all state parties to the Rome Statue, which is founding to the ICC, to fulfill their commitments and hand over al-Bashir to the court.

In March 2009, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against al-Bashir for allegedly committing war crimes in Sudan's Darfur region.

source: Xinhua