France says will block any UN resolution seeking to suspend ICC indictment of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir

Last Sunday, September 14, 2008, the Guardian's sister newspaper, The Observer, published a report by its Africa correspondent, Alex Duval Smith, saying that the British and French governments will back efforts in the UN to stall the issuance of an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir.

According to the Sudan Tribune today, Friday September 19, 2008, a French official said that France will block any resolution introduced seeking to suspend the International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment of Sudan's president.



Photo: French Ambassador to the United Nations, Jean-Maurice Ripert (AP/ST)

Source: Friday September 19, 2008 Sudan Tribune report entitled France will veto any resolution deferring Sudan president indictment: Official
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UK denies plans to block ICC indictment of Sudan’s Bashir

According to a report in today's Sudan Tribune, the United Kingdom has no plans of supporting a suspension of the ICC indictment against Al-Bashir, a senior British official said yesterday, Thursday, September 18, 2008.



Photo: Lord Malloch-Brown UK Foreign Office Minister for Africa (AFP/ST)

Source: Sudan Tribune report Friday September 19, 2008 entitled British official denies plans to freeze ICC indictment of Sudan’s Bashir
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See related reports at Sudan Watch report Thursday September 18, 2008 entitled Hey Africa correspondent Alex Duval Smith: Is your report in the Guardian's Observer true or what?