UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Sudanese government on Monday to ensure the safety of UN personnel in Sudan country after the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed charges against President Omar al-Bashir.
"The secretary-general emphasizes that the court is an independent institution and that the United Nations must respect the independence of the judicial process," Ban's press office said in a statement.
He said the United Nations will continue the operation of its peacekeeping operations as well as humanitarian and development work in Sudan.
Ban said he "expects that the government of Sudan will continue to cooperate fully with the United Nations in Sudan, while fulfilling its obligation to ensure the safety and security of all United Nations personnel and property."
In a telephone conversation with al-Bashir on Saturday, the UN chief emphasized the independence of the ICC and the importance of managing the situation on the ground and also stressed that the UN secretary-general "does not have any influence on the ICC Prosecutor."
ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on Monday presented evidence against the Sudanese president for alleged war crimes in strife-torn Darfur, including genocide.
Moreno-Ocampo is seeking an arrest warrant for the Sudanese leader, who he believes "bears criminal responsibility in relation to 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes," according to a news release issued by the court.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article