Egypt urges leniency for Sudan
2008-07-15 12:23
Cairo - Egypt on Tuesday warned against dealing with Sudan "irresponsibly", saying it could lead to a breakdown of security and political stability, particularly in Darfur, and called for a political solution there.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit warned of "the danger of dealing irresponsibly with the situation in Sudan, which could lead to a breakdown in security and rattle political stability, particularly in the region of Darfur".
His statement came a day after International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked for an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir for allegedly masterminding genocide in the western Sudanese region.
"A political solution to the Darfur crisis is the only real guarantee of achieving the justice we are all calling for," Abul Gheit said, blaming "many parties inside and outside Sudan for the suffering of civilians" in Darfur.
He urged Sudanese parties and the international community to reactivate the political track to solve the crisis.
Sudanese and Western officials had widely predicted that the ICC move - seen by many in Sudan as an assault on national sovereignty - could spark violent retaliation against Western embassies and United Nations peacekeepers.