{{The United States says that is had advised Omar al-Bashir not to make the trip to New York to attend this month’s UN General Assembly.}}
The US State Department disclosed that the Sudanese President had officially requested for an entry visa to the country ahead of the annual meeting of the UN’s top decision making organ.
In a press statement Monday, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the US condemned the request, and asked Mr Bashir to first answer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) which has indicted him for genocide and crimes against humanity.
“We can confirm that we have received a visa application for President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan to attend events related to the opening of the UN General Assembly,” Ms Harf said.
“We condemn any potential effort by President Bashir to travel to New York, given that he stands accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, the statement added.
State Department would not confirm if Mr Bashir would still get the visa, while Khartoum was yet to respond officially to the American position. The UN is considered extra-national territory.
The two countries have tense diplomatic relations with Washington having placed Khartoum on its list of countries that sponsor terrorism, and has since 1997 imposed economical sanctions on Sudan.
Terrorism list
This week Sudan demanded the US to take it off the list as Washington’s new envoy to the Sudans region, Donald Booth, took office.
The Hague-based International Criminal Court in 2009 and 2010 issued two warrants against President Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide over the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region.
Sudan is not a member of the ICC, and Mr Bashir has so far refused to co-operate with the court.
Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has also been indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity, will make the trip to the General Assembly, Kenyan diplomats earlier indicated.
Mr Kenyatta’s trial begins on November 12, while that of his deputy, Mr William Ruto, gets underway Tuesday after an adjournment last week.
Kenya’s parliament, in which Mr Kenyatta’s coalition holds a majority, has instigated a move to pull out of the court.
NMG
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