The US administration warned the Sudanese government against any measure in retaliation for a possible indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir next week.
"The Sudanese Government has obligations under Security Council resolutions as well as the Vienna Convention. The international system expects them to abide by those obligations" the US State department spokesperson Sean McCormack told reporters today.
The Washington Post quoted unidentified UN officials and diplomats as saying that the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo would ask the judges for an arrest warrant against Al-Bashir next week for genocide and crimes against humanity.
The Associated Press quoting similar sources said that similar charges will be brought against Sudan's 2nd Vice President Ali Osman Taha.
On Thursday the ICC announced that Ocampo will hold a press conference on Monday revealing his new case "on crimes committed in the whole of Darfur over the last five years".
Western diplomats and world officials appeared nervous that Khartoum may respond to new indictments against top Sudanese leadership by expelling aid organizations and peacekeeping forces from Darfur.
Sudan's U.N. ambassador Abdel-Mahmood Mohamed told reporters yesterday that "all options are on the table" if Sudan president is indeed indicted.
"The limit is the sky" he responded to a question at the UN headquarters today about measures Khartoum could take.
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