Sudan: Sudan yesterday rejected as "unfair, ill-advised and narrow-minded" a UN resolution to send Darfur war crime suspects to the International Criminal Court (ICC) but declined to say if it would co-operate.
The two main Darfur rebel groups welcomed the resolution and said they would both comply by sending to the court any members of their groups accused of crimes.
The UN Security Council late on Thursday voted 11-0 with four abstentions to refer a sealed list of 51 people accused of crimes against humanity in Darfur to the ICC, after last-minute wrangling to allow exemptions for US citizens. The resolution is the first referral to the ICC by the council.
"I believe it is unfair, ill-advised and narrow-minded," Sudan's state minister for foreign affairs, Najeeb al-Kheir Abdul Wahab, told reporters. "It undermines the government's quest for justice in Darfur through reconciliation."
Abdul Wahab said the government would nevertheless study the resolution and take "appropriate action" on implementation. He declined to say whether the government rejected or accepted it.
The list includes senior Sudanese government and army officials, Arab militia leaders and some rebel leaders and foreign army commanders, but has remained sealed in the office of the UN secretary general until the Security Council decided which court they would be referred to.
ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo was due to report back to the Security Council in three months.
"Before starting an investigation, I am required under the statute to assess factors including crimes and admissibility. I look forward to co-operation from relevant parties to collect this information," he said.