Arab League Chief To Visit Khartoum To Stop Bashir's Prosecution

Cairo, Egypt (AHN) - The chief of Arab League will arrive in Khartoum on Sunday to step up the process to avoid prosecution of Sudan's president after he was charged with genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Sudan has been urging Arab foreign ministers to find a way to prevent International Criminal Court's from prosecuting President Omar al-Bashir.

Arab League chief Amr Mussa will be brainstorming with other diplomats and President Bashir to find a political solution to stop his prosecution.

Sudan called upon Arab League to hold talks following the International Criminal Court's Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo allegations and asked for a warrant against its president early last week.

If the warrant is issued, it will be the first of its kind to have ever issued by The Hague-based court against a current head of state.

The Court has accused Sudan's president of masterminding genocide and crimes against humanity for systematic killings in Sudan's western Darfur region after militia members began their attacks.

In the troubled and violence ridden country, more than 200,000 have died and around two million civilians have been displaced in Darfur following the takeover by militia attacks since 2003.

The United Nations has estimated that around 300,000 people have died during the five-year long conflict in Darfur.

International Criminal Court has agreed to defer Bashir's prosecution for at least a year only if the country hands over two Darfur war crimes suspects in exchange.

Sudan's secretary of state for humanitarian affairs Ahmed Harun and pro-government Janjaweed militia leader Ali Kushayb are accused by the Court and face charges relating to more than 40 counts of crimes against humanity.

However, the latest decision by the International Criminal Court has been criticized by the 22-nation Arab League and several other Arab countries, saying that it threatens peace prospects in Darfur and warned of dangerous repercussions in the country.