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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Arab League rejects arrest plea
March 18, 2009, Wednesday
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Arab League countries will not carry out an International Criminal Court request to arrest Sudan's president on charges of war crimes in Darfur, the group's leader said.
Amr Moussa said Qatar - one of the league's 22 member states - had also rejected a similar request to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is to attend an Arab summit in the country later this month.
"The court asked Qatar and the Arab League at the same time, but our legal position on the matter does not allow what the International Criminal Court is requesting," Moussa said during a visit to Syria.
Only three Arab League states recognize the Netherlands-based court - Jordan, Djibouti and Comoros.
The Arab League chief did not specify when the court made the requests but said he was concerned about the effect that arresting Sudan's president would have on the country's stability.
The court issued its arrest warrant in early March, accusing al-Bashir of orchestrating atrocities against civilians in Darfur, where his Arab-led government has been battling ethnic African rebels since 2003. Up to 300,000 people have been killed, and 2.7 million driven from their homes.
Al-Bashir has denied the charges and has said he will not cooperate with court. He has struck a defiant tone, and his trip to Qatar is meant to show he cannot be touched.
He has expelled 13 large foreign aid agencies mainly operating in Darfur, accusing them of spying for the court. The United Nations has said those expulsions will leave millions at risk of a humanitarian crisis. Al-Bashir said earlier he wanted all international aid groups out of the country within a year.
Moussa said the Arab League was working with the African Union in trying to halt the court's efforts. Many Arab and African countries have lobbied the UN Security Council to pass a resolution deferring any prosecution of the president for at least a year, hoping to defuse the crisis.
But the United States, which has a veto on the council, does not support the move, and there have been some signs of frustration among Arab and African countries with al-Bashir's tough line.
Amr Moussa said Qatar - one of the league's 22 member states - had also rejected a similar request to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is to attend an Arab summit in the country later this month.
"The court asked Qatar and the Arab League at the same time, but our legal position on the matter does not allow what the International Criminal Court is requesting," Moussa said during a visit to Syria.
Only three Arab League states recognize the Netherlands-based court - Jordan, Djibouti and Comoros.
The Arab League chief did not specify when the court made the requests but said he was concerned about the effect that arresting Sudan's president would have on the country's stability.
The court issued its arrest warrant in early March, accusing al-Bashir of orchestrating atrocities against civilians in Darfur, where his Arab-led government has been battling ethnic African rebels since 2003. Up to 300,000 people have been killed, and 2.7 million driven from their homes.
Al-Bashir has denied the charges and has said he will not cooperate with court. He has struck a defiant tone, and his trip to Qatar is meant to show he cannot be touched.
He has expelled 13 large foreign aid agencies mainly operating in Darfur, accusing them of spying for the court. The United Nations has said those expulsions will leave millions at risk of a humanitarian crisis. Al-Bashir said earlier he wanted all international aid groups out of the country within a year.
Moussa said the Arab League was working with the African Union in trying to halt the court's efforts. Many Arab and African countries have lobbied the UN Security Council to pass a resolution deferring any prosecution of the president for at least a year, hoping to defuse the crisis.
But the United States, which has a veto on the council, does not support the move, and there have been some signs of frustration among Arab and African countries with al-Bashir's tough line.
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