US, France unhappy about Arab & African support to Sudan's Bashir?

Thank goodness the UK has not been mentioned in this questionable article from Sudan Tribune, 05 April 2009. According to the article, Saudi owned Al-Hayat newspaper reported that an anonymous source said that both US President Obama and French President Sarkozy were disappointed at the backing of the Arab League and African Union to Sudanese President Al-Bashir. Also, the source said that the US and French leaders agreed to give their backing to the ICC warrant.

US, France unhappy about Arab & African support to Sudan’s Bashir: report - excerpt:

April 4, 2009 (PARIS) – The US and French government have agreed that the support lent by Arab states to embattled Sudanese president is “regrettable”, according to a news report.



Photo: France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) shaking hand with U.S. President Barack Obama

The Saudi owned Al-Hayat newspaper quoting a source familiar with talks said that the US president Barack Obama and his French president Nicolas Sarkozy discussed the indictment of Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) last month.

Obama is visiting France for the summit of the North Atlantic Organization (NATO).

The source said that both Obama and Sarkozy were disappointed at the backing of the Arab League and African Union (AU) to Bashir.

Both organizations have expressed dissatisfaction at the ICC move against Bashir and alleged double standards in dealings with crimes worldwide.

The Arab League leadership summit held this week in Qatar issued a resolution rejecting of the ICC warrant and called on its members not to cooperate with the court.

The Arab leaders also described the ICC warrant as violation of international law preserving immunity of state officials and arguing that Sudan is not bound by the court’s decision because it has not ratified its founding Rome Statute.

AU officials said that African states who are ICC members will hold a meeting in June to discuss possibility of removing themselves from the court by unsigning the Rome Statute.

The source said that the US and French leaders agreed to give their backing to the ICC warrant. [...]