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ENTEBBE. — Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir will today join a group of regional leaders in Uganda for talks on the South Sudan conflict, a top foreign affairs official said on Saturday.
James Mugume, the permanent secretary in the ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters at State House, Entebbe, that President Al-Bashir would join Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, Kenya’s president, Uhuru Kenyetta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to discuss the political crisis in the neighbouring South Sudan.
“He (Al-Bashir) has been invited for the heads of state meeting on regional issues at State House, Entebbe (Uganda). We expect him to join them on Monday (today) to discuss the crisis in South Sudan and how to end it,” said Mugume.
Kenyetta arrived in Uganda on Saturday while Desalegn and Al-Bashir were expected to arrive in the East African country today.
Mugume said al-Bashir’s visit to the East African country will not cause “diplomatic incident” because of International Criminal Court arrest warrants for his alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“AU (African Union) has a different position (not co-operating) on ICC. We respect and abide by it. We have no obligation to arrest him,” said Mugume.
Al-Bashir is accused by ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Darfur region.
The AU in October 2013 opposed the ICC criminal proceedings against the sitting president, saying it infringes on the nation’s sovereignty.
President Museveni late last year called on African nations to drop out of the treaty establishing the ICC, saying the court unfairly targets Africans.
President Al-Bashir’s June visit to South Africa for an AU summit stirred up an international controversy after the Pretoria authorities refused to arrest him.
ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has persistently reminded the countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute of a legal obligation to arrest President Al-Bashir. — Xinhua.
Online Reporter