ABUJA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria on Tuesday rebuffed critics for focusing on the international arrest warrant on Sudan's President Omar Al-Bashir instead of the objectives of the special African Union summit on HIV and AIDS.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry defended Nigeria's inaction to arrest the Sudanese leader during his visit to Abuja from July 14 to July 19 for the AU Summit on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.
The ministry's statement said Nigeria's decision not to cooperate with the court on the issue stemmed from a position taken by the AU in 2009.
"President Al-Bashir was in Nigeria under the auspices of the AU, based on the Assembly's decision to convene the Special Summit in Abuja to deal with three diseases that together constitute a heavy burden on member states," the statement said.
"Any attempt to make an issue out of the attendance of President Al-Bashir at the AU Summit will only amount to unnecessary shift from the important objectives of the special summit," it added.
"It is, therefore, a matter between the African Union and the international community," the ministry statement said.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), Britain, the European Union (EU) have expressed concerns over Nigeria's hosting Al- Bashir and failure to arrest and surrender him to the court.
Tina Intelmann, president of the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC, sent a letter Tuesday to Nigerian Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru, reminding the West Africa country of its commitment as a State Party to the Rome Statute, to cooperate with the court.
Al-Bashir is wanted by ICC on charges of alleged crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, charges he has repeatedly denied.
College student car models show youthful vigor
Feedback
RSS
