UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — China's UN ambassador said Friday he was concerned at reports that Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir might be arrested over crimes against humanity in Darfur, warning such a move would put peace prospects "in jeopardy."
"I have a lot of concern," Wang Guangya told reporters when asked about reports that International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo would seek an arrest warrant Monday for Beshir for genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Wang said peace in Darfur required the "cooperation from all parties" and was based on three pillars: peace talks between Khartoum and the fragmented Darfur insurgency, the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping operation and UN humanitarian aid to refugees and displaced people.
"This might put the three pillars in jeopardy," said Wang, whose country is a close ally and energy partner of Sudan.
The US State Department earlier Friday confirmed reports that it seemed that ICC prosecutors were to seek an arrest warrant for Beshir when new evidence is unveiled on Monday.
Sudan's UN ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad warned of "grave repercussions" if Beshir was indicted.
"Ocampo is playing with fire," the ambassador told the Washington Post. "If the United Nations is serious about its engagement with Sudan, it should tell this man to suspend what he is doing with this so-called indictment."
UN officials fear the move could complicate peace efforts in Darfur where seven UN peacekeepers were killed in an attack Tuesday some blamed on state-backed militias in the deadliest attack to date on the UN-led peaceforce.
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