Qatari's prime minister ready to receive Sudanese president

Report from China View, Wednesday, 25 March 2009:
Qatari's prime minister ready to receive Sudanese president

KHARTOUM, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim stressed here on Tuesday his country's readiness for receiving Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir in case of the participation of the latter in an Arab summit meeting to be held in Doha this month.

"All the necessary preparations are ready according to our capabilities," the Qatari prime minister said at a press conference as answering a question on the possible participation of the Sudanese president in the Doha summit.

"Qatar has sent the invitation to the Sudanese president, it is an honor for Qatar that President al-Bashir attends the summit among his Arab brothers," Sheikh Hamad said.

"But It is up to the Sudanese government first and foremost to make this decision (on al-Bashir's participation)," he added.

The Qatari prime minister reiterated his country's support for Sudan, saying that "the State of Qatar, including the Emir, the government and the people, stands with Sudan, and we hope Sudan to successfully resolve the Darfur issue, achieve the peace, remain a united country supported and helped by other Arab brotherly countries."

This came following a meeting between the Qatari prime minister and the Sudanese president, during which a message was delivered to the Sudanese president from Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

The state-run SUNA news agency reported that the message dealt with the bilateral relations between the two countries, the peace process in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, the Arab summit meeting in Doha as well as the issue of the International Crime Court (ICC).

The Hague-based ICC issued on March 4 an arrest warrant against the Sudanese president, which is the first against an incumbent head of state since the court was established in July 2002.

The Doha summit will be the first important regional conference to be attended by the Sudanese president since the issuance of the ICC arrest warrant, but Sudanese officials have noted that the government had not taken the final decision on al-Bashir's attendance. Editor: Yan