CAIRO: Egypt warned on Sunday of dire repercussions if an international arrest warrant is issued for Sudanese President Omar Al-Beshir just as steps are being agreed towards ending the six-year conflict in Darfur.
An arrest warrant for President Al-Beshir will have dangerous consequences for the situation in Darfur, in particular, and Sudan in general, presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad told reporters after Al-Beshir met Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak in Cairo.
Al-Beshir, whom the International Criminal Court in considering charging with genocide and war crimes in Sudan s western region of Darfur, met Mubarak for several hours before returning to Khartoum.
Awad said Mubarak has pressed world leaders not to support the possible arrest warrant, adding that if it is issued Egypt believes some members of the UN Security Council will vote against and thus veto endorsement of the move.
Sudan s ambassador to Egypt, Abdel Moneim Mohammed Mabrouk, welcomed Egypt s position, saying we are satisfied with the outcome of this visit.
Egypt has always stood fast in supporting Sudan, he said, adding that Sudan believes a warrant would also complicate peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfuri rebels.
Last week, the Khartoum government and the most active rebel group in Darfur, the Justice and Equality Movement, signed a confidence-building pact in Doha aimed at laying the groundwork for broader peace talks.
On the same day, JEM chief Khalil Ibrahim announced the release of 21 government prisoners held by his group.
And on Saturday, Sudan freed 24 Darfur rebel prisoners, despite fighting on Thursday that left 11 Sudanese soldiers dead or wounded and 17 JEM fighters killed.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor Kuol on Friday reiterated an African Union-backed call to postpone international efforts to try Al-Beshir for war crimes by a year to smooth the way for the peace efforts in Darfur.
We are asking for one year for postponement because this will give us time to work for peace in Darfur which we have already started with one movement … we have many movements, more than 10, about 15, Kuol said in South Africa.
If an arrest warrant is issued, there will be negative consequences of course, he said.
The New York Times reported earlier this month that the ICC had decided to issue a warrant for Al-Beshir s arrest, but a spokesman for the court in The Hague said that at this moment, there is no warrant.
ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked last July for an warrant to be issued against Al-Beshir for alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
According to the United Nations, 300,000 people have died and more than 2.2 million fled their homes since ethnic minority rebels in Darfur rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in February 2003.
The UN and African Union have a joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur, where 15,200 police and troops are stationed. -AFP
