Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir – Photo: UN
PANA
Khartoum, Sudan – A row has erupted between Sudan and the US over the request for a US visa by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir to attend the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, which formally opened in New York Tuesday.
President Al-Bashir plans to attend a meeting of the African heads of state forum in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, among other engagements.
Following what it perceives to be unfavourable comments on the visa request by some US officials, Sudan has demanded that the US, as a UN seat, should immediately issue the required visas for the Sudanese delegation, led by President Al-Bashir.
In an official statement read on the state-run Radio Omdurman and Television Wednesday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry denounced, in particular, remarks by US State Department spokesperson and US representative to the UN on participation by the Sudanese delegation at the UN General Assembly.
The ministry stressed Sudan’s full right to participate at the highest level in meetings of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly and asked the US to fulfill its obligation – as the state that hosts the UN headquarters – by issuing the required visas as soon as possible.
It said the US is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has indicted President Al-Bashir on crimes against humanity and war crimes charges, wondering why it still supports attempts by the court to try African leaders.
