SUNA- President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, has reiterated Sudan rejection to handing over any Sudanese national for trial abroad, affirming the efficiency and the good repute of the Sudanese Judiciary at the international and regional levels and its capability to hold trial for any accused whoever are. At the press conference he held in Istanbul, Turkey, on the sidelines of his participation at the African - Turkish Summit, President Al-Bashir said that Sudan government has declared its absolute rejection to trial of any Sudanese at courts outside Sudan.
He said that Sudan will never allow trial of any Sudanese national before the International Criminal Court (ICC) because the country did not sign the Rome agreement establishing the International Criminal Court, adding that the international court could be complementary to the national judiciary, but not an alternative to it.
He refuted all the claims on occurrence of mass genocide or ethnic cleansing in Darfur, and challenged all circles to prove correctness of the figures which were published by western media and organizations on the alleged genocide. He said that the United Nations itself did not spoke about genocide in Darfur in its reports, calling on the media seeking truth to move to Darfur to get assured by themselves about the conditions there.
President Al-Bashir pointed out that more than 80% of Darfur area is secure and the humanitarian situation there is stable, while no famines or epidemics exist in Darfur region. He attributed the enmity and the targeting that Sudan is facing was a result of its decision to exploit the country's vast resources for the interest of the Sudanese people.
He said that Sudan is cooperating with all the peace-loving circles, but certain influential forces do not want peace to be reached in Darfur by their support to the armed movements. President Al-Bashir has criticized the United States' policies in Iraq and Palestine, affirming Sudan keenness to continue dialogue with the United States and European countries toward reaching full normalization of relations with them.
He said that the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is progressing satisfactorily despite some impediments. He affirmed the government seriousness to continue efforts for reaching peace in Darfur through the Initiative of the People of Sudan in which all the political forces and armed movements in Darfur will participate. On the economic situation in Sudan, President Al-Bashir said that economic growth rate reached 11% in the year 2007.
He praised the historic and progressing relations between Sudan and Turkey, explaining that more than 120 Turkish investment companies are operating in Sudan at different fields, adding that the economic relations between Sudan and Turkey are witnessing progress and that Sudan is benefiting from the Turkish technology.
President Al-Bashir said that the effective participation of the African countries in the summit was evidence on firmness of the African - Turkish relations and reflected the desire to consolidate this cooperation further. Meanwhile, he responded to all the questions of the international media and press. President Al-Bashir was interviewed by Al-Arabia TV and Reuters, separately, after his press conference.
