Parliament Slams Turkmenistan & Tajikistan Over Bashir’s Flight

28 June 2011

Khartoum — The Sudanese parliament on Tuesday criticized the two Central Asia states of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan accusing them of falling under U.S. pressure to deny passage of presidential plane through its airspace.

Sudan’s president Omer Hassan al-Bashir arrived in China a day late after his plebe was forced to circle back to Tehran where he was attending a conference over the weekend.

Senior diplomatic sources told Sudan Tribune yesterday that authorities in Turkmenistan revoked its permission to Bashir’s plane to fly through its airspace and instead suggested another route. The reason for the action on the part of Turkmen authorities was not known though the foreign ministry spokesperson said this was done to “technical” reasons.

Local newspapers in Khartoum said that Turkmenistan warned the pilot about turbulence ahead and suggested that they go through Afghanistan but Sudan feared that NATO might intercept Bashir’s plane forcing it to land and arrest the Sudanese head of state.

Bashir has an outstanding arrest warrant against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and genocide he allegedly masterminded in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

Another country in the flight path, Tajikistan, excused itself from a prior authorization by citing military exercises taking place in the same airspace, according to the pro-government Al-Rayaam newspaper.

According to the diplomats, Sudanese director of Intelligence Mohamed Atta and foreign minister Ali Karti rejected the proposed route and voiced suspicion that it is a plot to apprehend Bashir and subsequently the pilot returned to Tehran.

The deputy speaker of Sudan’s parliament Hago Gism al-Seed expressed gratitude to Pakistan for allowing Bashir’s plane to fly through its airspace on its way to China. He revealed that Iran contacted authorities in Pakistan to get the necessary permissions.

The ruling party figure alleged that the U.S. pressured Turkmenistan and Tajikistan to deny entry of Bashir’s plane.

Turkmenistan has not signed up for the Rome Statute which is the founding text of the ICC and therefore have no legal obligation to arrest Bashir. Tajikistan on the other hand is an ICC state party.

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