Eritrea invites Beshir in show of solidarity
Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir (L) and his Eritrean
counterpart Issaias Afeworki review an honour guard upon
the latter's arrival in Khartoum on November 12, 2008.
Eritrea has mediated peace between Khartoum and eastern
Sudan rebels that ended 12 years of insurgency with an
accord two years ago.
11 March, 2009
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) – Eritrea has invited Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir to pay a visit in a show of solidarity after international prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest, the government said Wednesday.
Eritrean President Issaias Afeworki expressed "firm and lasting support" to Beshir in the light of the International Criminal Court's warrant which was issued last week, said the invitation published by the foreign ministry.
The Sudanese president would visit Eritrea "in the near future," said a statement from the foreign ministry which was seen in neighbouring Ethiopia.
"The drama being orchestrated by the so-called ICC amply demonstrates the anti-people stance and defamatory conspiracy on the part of external forces," it added.
Like Sudan, the government in Asmara has frosty ties with western states, notably the United States, which has urged Sudan to cooperate with the ICC over its investigation into alleged war crimes in the western region of Darfur.
The foreign ministry said the court charges were "unjustified, futile, unacceptable and totally unwarranted."
Many African and Arab states along with key ally China have condemned the ICC move and called for the warrant to be suspended.
Beshir faces five counts of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes. He is the first sitting president to be issued with a warrant by the ICC.