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Dubai: Criminal charges against the president of the Republic of Sudan is fuelled by politics and is not based on any substantial evidence. It is is aimed at igniting further conflict in Darfur, said the ambassador of Sudan in the UAE.
During a press conference held in Dubai in reply to the recent arrest warrant and allegations against Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir on genocide charges, Ahmad Abdul Karim, the ambassador, said the move was unacceptable.
International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accused Al Bashir of being behind attacks on three ethnic groups in the west Sudanese region of Darfur, and requested an arrest warrant on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
"It is clear the reason behind the arrest warrant was political, as the world is facing a food crisis and Sudan is internationally known for its capacity to supply the entire food basket of the Arab world," said Abdul Karim, ambassador of the Sudanese embassy in Abu Dhabi.
The Arab League expressed its solidarity with Sudan in a joint resolution on Saturday after an emergency meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo.
The resolution said: "The League of Arab States expresses its full solidarity with Sudan in confronting schemes that undermine its sovereignty, unity and stability."
The resolution also criticised Moreno-Ocampo's "unbalanced stance" for asking ICC judges to issue a warrant for Al Bashir's arrest, which, if granted, would be the first ever issued by the Hague-based court against a serving head of state.
According to the resolution, any legal issues related to Darfur should be handled by the Sudanese judiciary.
From a legislative perspective, Badria Sulaiman, chairperson of the legislative and justice committee of the Sudanese National Assembly, said the ICC has no right to issue a warrant of arrest for Al Bashir as Sudan does not fall under its jurisdiction.
Only three Arab League states recognise the court, namely Jordan, Djibouti and the Comoros.
"Such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Sudanese courts," said Sulaiman.
She went on saying the warrant is not based on concrete evidence.
"This move has been influenced by American national interests in the agricultural and natural resources of Sudan. They want to turn Sudan into another Iraq by controlling the natural resources of the country," said Abdul Karim, the ambassador.
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