COURT IS WESTERN PUPPET TO DESTABILISE SUDAN

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Bernama) -- The International Criminal Court (ICC)
decision to issue an arrest warrant on the Sudanese president for war crimes and
crimes against humanity is a Western conspiracy to foil peace efforts in Darfur.

Sudan's Ambassador to Malaysia Nadir Yousif Eltayeb also described the ICC's
move as selective justice and politically motivated to destablise the African
nation of 38 million people.

He said it was also an attempt to pillage the country's rich resources.

Besides oil, Sudan is also rich in other minerals including gold, copper,
uranium and asbestos.

Nadir said the Sudanese people will rally behind President Omar Hassan Al
Bashir and will not bow to pressure from ICC.

"We have been facing mounting pressure from Western powers since 2003,
and we have persevered. We will not give up now. They will keep on pressuring us
but it will be business as usual for us in Sudan," he told a news conference at
his office here Saturday.

He said Sudanese Government was also committed to realising peace in
in the country, and would continue to work within the framework of the
Arab/African initiatives.

On Wednesday, the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I had issued an arrest warrant on
Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The
six-year conflict was estimated to have claimed about 300,000 lives.

The decision was however, condemned by various international groupings,
including the Arab League, African Union and the United Nations, which feared
the arrest could spark more revolts and obstruct the peace talks in the conflict
zone.

"Legally, ICC has no rights over Sudan. Sudan affirms that the decision of
the court has undermined these efforts, and thereby calls for the immediate
withdrawal of the whole situation from the ICC," he said.

He also questioned the ICC's integrity and agenda, adding that if it was
fair, it should have prosecuted the invaders in Gaza.

"The real crime of humanity is in Gaza where tens of thousands were killed
by the Western-backed Israeli invasion. Why is the ICC not acting against
them?," he asked.

-- BERNAMA