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Question and Answer
Omar Basheer and the ICC Decision
Question:
The Movement for Justice & Equality is known to be loyal to France, how could it then meet in Qatar with the Sudanese government and announce reaching an agreement of fair intentions? Moreover, what is the stand of the concerned countries on this agreement? Does this imply that the United States and Europe are on the verge of coming to a mutual agreement about charging al-Basheer?
Answer:
Yes, negotiations have taken place between the Sudanese government and the Movement for Justice & Equality during the last eight days and they have reached an understanding in Doha on 17th February 2009. They have referred to this agreement as the Agreement of Fair Intentions and Trust-building.
This agreements calls for the two parties to sit together and hold peace dialogue and work out and agreement to solve the Darfur conflict within a period of three months. It aslo calls foer the twoparties to meet again for anothe round within two weeks.
As for the international community's stand on this, the US ambassador to the United Nations has said: "This (agreement) is expected to be a modest beginning towards peace". This statements implies support for the agreement. When the Ambassador was asked as to how this agreement is linked to the Basheer, the Ambassador replied: "I see no connection." (al-Sharq al-Awsat 18th February 2009). This implies that the American Ambassador was trying to deny that this agreement was an attempt to secure the position of Basheer, everyone understands this. It is likely that the Interenational Criminal Court (ICC) may issue its decision on Basheer this week.
The threat of the ICC for several months is an attempt by the Europeans to come to a compromise solution acceptable to the Americans, and in fact the Doha talks are a part of this attempt. It appears that the Doha talks are the first phase towards finding a compromise acceptable to the Europeans and Americans in Sudan.
The Doha talks have been welcomed by the UN Secretary Genral Ban Ki Moon as well as the current president of the UN Security Council, the Japanese Ambassador Yokio Takasu who said: "It is a first step in the right direction to end the conflict in Darfur." (al-Jazeerah, 18th February 2009). These receptive statements fit well with the American gameplan.
France, which has been very active in the matter, has so far not issued any statement on this agreement, as if it is waiting for a decision by the ICC in the next few days. However, the Sudanese Ambassador to the United Nations, Abdu Mahmoud Abdul Haleem has criticised it saying:
"It (France) is still holding one of the rebel leaders (Abdul Wahid) in a five-star hotel who issues fiery statements which adversly affect the peace process." The Ambassador said that the French President Nicholas Sarlozy has informed Basheer during a meeting in which the Ambassador was president, that Abdul Haleem will be deported from France if he hinders the peace process. (al-Sharq al Awsat, 18th February 2009). This implies that France is looking forward to reach a compromise solution with Basheer with the participation of the French backed movements.
What is known as the Movement for Justice & Equality, which is loyal to France and supported by it, will only agree the dialogue if France approves of it.
The comprising parties and their host (Qatar) are all the agents of the British which indicates that the British are interested in acheiving certain benefits for themselves form this conflict.
If the decision of the ICC happens to be a negative one, like for instance if it calls for the arrest of Basheer and prosecuting him, then it is expected that Basheer may invoke clause 16 in the UN Security Council, which calls for freezing implementation of the ICC Judgment for a period of one year which again may be extended especially since countries like Russia amd China have publicly supported such a stance apart feom the US which has also backed this either directly or indirectly through its agents.
The US and is agents, led by Egypt have already been active in this approach, Abu al-Ghaith said in a meeting with Basheer: "We will actively pursue with the UNSC members and seek to implement clause 16 of the ICJ Act to stay any action against Sudan and President Basheer." He also pointed out that President Mubarak's visits to France and Italy, as well as Abu Ghaith's meeting with the US Secretary of State are aimed at finding a solution to the Darfur crisis. (al-Jazeerah, 15th February, 2009). Sarkozy is aware of the importance of Egypt and Mubarak in the matter which became evident when the Jews disregarded the French initiative on the issue of Gaza, while they accepted the Egyptian iniriative on the subject. Since Sarkozy well understands this, he has called his initiative as the French-Egyptian iniatiative, though others like the Jews have refused to accept this as ‘French-Egyptian‘ iniative and called it as the Egyptian initiative. Hence Mubarak has been generous with Sarkozy so that France gives up on its attempts to secure an ICC judgement.