Khartoum scorns at ICC request for arrest warrant on defence minister - Sudan said here Friday it was not surprised that the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo had requested for an arrest warrant against its Defence Minister, Abdul Rahim Mohamed Hussein, stressing that it was a politically-motivated move seeking to undermine a peace deal signed in Doha, Qatar, this year. The deal, aimed at ending the crisis in Darfur, was boycotted by French-backed rebel movement, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality movement.

In its first reaction to Moreno-Ocampo's request which was made Friday, the Sudanese government said the development had already been leaked to the press by the office of the prosecutor in its feverish moves to back the Darfur rebel movements, according to a statement from the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) on Friday quoted the statement as stressing that it was 'clear that the prosecutor has carefully chosen his timing to coincide with the victories scored by the Sudanese Armed Forces against the rebels, particularly in the Blue Nile and South Kordufan.

'And we have no doubt that the timing was meant to spoil the victories scored and to raise the failing morale of the rebels.'

Moreno-Ocampo requested Pre-Trial Chamber I to issue an arrest warrant against Hussein for crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur from August 2003 to March 2004.

'This warrant is meant to serve the agenda of the rebel groups that rejected the Doha peace document and those who are seeking to place hurdles in front of the implementation of the agreement,' the ministry argued.

The statement said the Sudanese government would like to stress that its judiciary was well established and independent and capable of handling any complaint to be submitted by any party against any person.

Pana 03/12/2011