Sudan’s Defense Minister Attends Security Conference in Libya

Sudan Times14.03.2012 Security
Sudan’s Defense Minister Attends Security Conference in Libya

Sudan’s Defense Minister Attends Security Conference in Libya

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The Sudanese Defense Minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein took part in a regional conference in the Libyan capital Tripoli (11-12 March 2012) making it his first trip abroad since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him earlier this month.


Hussein’s attendance at the two day Ministerial Regional Conference on Border Security had not been previously announced by Sudan’s state media nor was there any coverage of his activities there.

Other countries participating included Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger and Tunisia. Most delegations were led by Interior and Defense Ministers.

The opening of the gathering was addressed by Libya’s Interim Prime Minister Abdel Rahim al-Kib and National Transitional Council (NTC) Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil.

The ICC judges decided earlier this month that there were sufficient grounds to hold Hussein responsible for 20 counts of crimes against humanity, including persecution and rape, and 21 counts of war crimes, including murder and attacks on civilians between the years 2003-2004 in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

Khartoum said it is not concerned with the warrant as it is not a member of the Hague based court. Hussein joins Sudan’s President Omer Hassan al-Bashir who was indicted by the ICC in 2009. The Sudanese government has refused to hand over any of its citizens to the court.

The visit was criticized by the United States which said it brought up the issue with Libyan officials. But the European Union (EU), which took the lead on enforcing a No Fly Zone during Gaddafi’s crackdown on opposition last year, maintained silence.

Libya has no legal obligation to arrest Hussein as it is not signatory to the Rome Statute which is the founding text of the ICC. The North African nation allowed Bashir to visit last January without arresting him.

At the Tripoli Conference, the participating countries agreed to work together to secure their borders in a move to clamp down on militia clashes and weapons smuggling in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings.

Source: Sudan Times; Photo: AFP

 



 
 

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