Thousands of Sudanese have demonstrated in support of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir in the aftermath of the warrant issued for his arrest by the ICC.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
COOPERATION WITH SUDAN KEY DESPITE ICC CHARGES: US ENVOY
A US special envoy to Sudan on Thursday stressed the need for
cooperation with the country's leadership after a prosecutor said
there was enough evidence for a further arrest warrant against
Sudanese president Omar al-Beshir for genocide.
"Right now President al-Beshir is the president of the country
and we have to work with him to solve those issues that are facing
the people (of Sudan) and (that) are facing the region," said Scott
Gration.
"But that does not mean that (Beshir) does not need to do what's
right in terms of facing the International Criminal Court and those
charges," he told AFP.
ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo argued Tuesday he had enough evidence for a further arrest warrant against Beshir for genocide.
Beshir already faces an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes and
crimes against humanity.
Gration said Beshir would face the court "when the situation is
right."
"We in the United States believe that everybody needs to be
accountable, and in due time, when the situation is right, the
international community will hold (accountable) folks that may have
been involved in crimes against humanity and genocide," he said.
Asked whether the announcement would complicate his dealings
with Sudan, Gration said: "We will work through it."
Gration made the comments during an official visit to the
Norwegian capital, where he will on Friday meet senior government
officials from Britain and Norway to coordinate the countries'
positions towards Sudan.
The US, Britain and Norway form a troika of nations closely
following Sudan-related issues, including the implementation of the
2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the war between north and south Sudan.
Gration on Thursday met Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr
Stoere.
Gration will travel to Sudan on Tuesday 14 July. He is not
expected to meet the president.
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