By NNN-KUNA,
Riyadh : The Organisation of the Islamic Conference’s (OIC) executive committee met in Jeddah Monday to discuss an arrest warrant request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor against Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir on charges of war crimes in Darfur.
The executive committee meeting, held at ministerial level, issued a final communique following the emergency meeting expressing its full solidarity with Sudan under the leadership of Al-Bashir.
It stated its unflinching support for the various endeavours to achieve genuine national reconciliation, lasting peace and stability within the context of a sovereign and united country.
The communique appealed to the Sudanese parties and other stakeholders to recommit themselves to the revival of the peace process in Darfur and deal constructively with various initiatives in this regard.
The participants reiterated their respect for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of Sudan, and called on all sections of the international community to do the same.
The meeting considered the recent application by the ICC prosecutor for the indictment of al-Bashir, as unwarranted and unacceptable, and expressed its deep concern that this action could seriously undermine the ongoing efforts aimed at facilitating the early resolution of the conflict in Darfur and the promotion of long-lasting peace and reconciliation in Sudan.
The participants also expressed deep concern that this action could further lead to greater destabilization for the country and the entire region.
The communique also urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to suspend indefinitely the move by the prosecutor directed against al-Bashir and, in this respect decided that the OIC should coordinate its efforts with the African Union, the League of Arab States, the Non-Aligned Movement and other political groups to support steps in the UN and elsewhere aimed at defusing this dangerous situation and preventing its recurrence.
In this context, the meeting instructed the OIC Group in New York to evolve the best ways and means of tackling the issue during the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
The meeting reaffirmed that any kind of selectivity and double standards in the application of principles of criminal justice and putting an end to impunity for crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity and war crimes will undermine vitality and may negatively affect the credibility of the ICC.
It also stressed that, in accordance with the Rome Statute, the ICC can only be complementary to national legal systems, which have the primary responsibility of investigating or prosecuting cases over which they have jurisdiction.
The meeting called on OIC member states and the international community to intensify their engagement for the peace-building efforts in Darfur. In this regard, it urged them to urgently contribute to reinforce UNAMID operations whose mandate has just been extended by the UN Security Council as well as invest massively in support of improved humanitarian conditions, reconstruction and development in Darfur.
The meeting pledged its firm support for the newly-appointed joint UN/AU chief mediator on the Darfur conflict, Djibril Bassole, and urged the parties to extend full cooperation for the success of his mission.
The meeting noted with satisfaction the progress being made in the implementation of Sudan/Chad Agreement brokered by the chairman of the 11th Session of the OIC Summit, President Maitre Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, and urged the two OIC member states to continue to respect their obligations, to promote good neighbourliness and facilitate the speedy resolution of the Darfur conflict within the framework of the Dakar Agreement of March 13, 2008.