China "concerned" at Sudan genocide charge

BEIJING-China expressed "grave concern" on Tuesday after the International Criminal Court's prosecutor charged Sudan's president with genocide in Darfur.In Khartoum, the United Nations told its staff to stay at home as thousands of Sudanese prepared to rally in support of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on Monday asked the court for an arrest warrant for Bashir, accusing him of running a campaign of genocide that has killed 35,000 people and forced 2.5 million to flee their homes in Sudan's western region.Sudan viewed the ICC's move as "irresponsible, illegal and unprofessional", according to Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha.At a regular news conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said:"China expresses grave concern and misgivings about the International Criminal Court prosecutor's indictment of the Sudanese leader.""The ICC's actions must be beneficial to the stability of the Darfur region and the appropriate settlement of the issue, not the contrary," Liu said.China, Khartoum's biggest arms supplier and a major investor in its oil industry, now faces difficult choices over its relationship with Bashir just as the Beijing Olympics opens a soft spot for international pressure.Beijing has sought to balance its energy and political interests in Sudan with its desire for a respected seat at the table in Darfur peace efforts.
The ICC prosecutor's momentous move makes that balancing act harder, with all sides waiting to see if Beijing will seek to suspend the legal action via a U.N. Security Council decision.Asked whether China would support a U.N. resolution suspending the ICC's actions against Bashir, Liu avoided firm answers."China will continue consultation with other members of the United Nations Security Council, but as for the outcome, that I don't know," he said.Liu confirmed that 172 Chinese engineers would head to Darfur on Wednesday, bringing all of its 315 promised peacekeepers into place.
PROTESTS
In Khartoum, thousands of Sudanese prepared for a second day of protests in support of Bashir that have been joined by Sudanese who usually oppose the president, a former army general who came to power in a coup in 1989.U.N. security officials told non-essential staff to stay at home ahead of Tuesday's expected protests.Sudan has reassured international workers it will ensure their safety, but the United Nations raised security levels in Khartoum and Darfur ahead of the Hague court's announcement, fearing a violent backlash.Families have been evacuated from Khartoum and non-essential staff moved out of Darfur
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