ICC's arrest warrant for Sudan's Bashir places Turkey in limbo

The three-judge panel that issued the warrant said however there was insufficient evidence to support charges of genocide. The warrant is for five charges of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes including murder, extermination, torture and rape, AP quoted court spokeswoman Laurence Blairon as saying.

 

The United Nations' Security Council should accept a resolution that calls on member states to arrest Bashir, a situation that places in Turkey in a difficult position.

 

Turkey, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, has close ties with Africa and Bashir himself. Bashir paid a couple of visits to Turkey in recent months.

 

Diplomatic sources said Turkey is likely to push for a delay in the implementation of the arrest warrant in the Security Council.

 

Turkey aims to prevent its relations with Africa from being harmed and to protect Sudan from a possible intensification of internal clashes, sources added.

 

Turkey had garnered the support of Africa states in its bid for the Security Council.

 

BASHIR TO VISIT DOHA

Bashir, who has dismissed the allegations, was accused of orchestrating a campaign of violence in Sudan's western region of Darfur, starting in 2003. ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has said 35,000 people were killed outright and at least 100,000 more through starvation and disease.

 

"He is suspected of being criminally responsible ... for intentionally directing attacks against an important part of the civilian population of Darfur, Sudan, murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing and forcibly transferring large numbers of civilians, and pillaging their property," Blairon added.

 

Sudan is legally obliged to execute the arrest warrant issued by the court against Bashir, said Moreno-Ocampo, AFP reported.

  

The arrest warrant for al-Bashir is a milestone for the world’s first permanent war crimes tribunal, which was established in 2002 and has never before ordered the arrest of a sitting head of state.Â

 

Bashir will attend the Arab summit due to be held in Doha later this month despite the international arrest warrant against him, Sudanese deputy foreign minister Ali Ahmed Karti told reporters in Cairo on Wednesday.