Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir says a possible indictment against him for war crimes threatens to derail Darfur peace talks.
Speaking
in Ghana's capital, Accra Thursday, Mr. Bashir said an indictment would
prompt Darfur rebel groups to distance themselves from the talks.
He
also said it would threaten Sudan's democratic transformation as
political parties prepare for elections next year and would have what
he called a "catastrophic" impact on regional stability.
Prosecutors
at the International Criminal Court have accused Sudan's president of
masterminding a campaign of rape, murder and deportation in Darfur, and
have asked the court to issue a warrant for Mr. Bashir's arrest.
The court has not made a decision on the request.
The African Union and Arab League are seeking to have case postponed.
Mr. Bashir denies the charges against him, and Sudan has refused to cooperate with the court.
The
Darfur conflict began in 2003, when ethnic African minority rebels took
up arms against Sudan's Arab-led government and state-backed Arab
militias.
The United Nations says the five-year conflict has
killed more than 200,000 people and displaced some 2.5 million others. Sudan has accused Western governments and media of
exaggerating the conflict, and says only about 10,000 people have died.
Mr. Bashir comments Thursday came at the opening of a two-day summit of African, Caribbean and Pacific leaders.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
