Turkey says it will consider ICC statute ratification

18/11/2009

ANKARA, Turkey -- Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Tuesday (November 17th) that Turkey will consider whether to ratify the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after an a court review conference in Uganda next year. The issue arose ahead of a summit of the Islamic Conference Organisation that Istanbul hosted earlier this month. Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was scheduled to attend, but backed out at the last minute. He has been indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity in Darfur. In 2004, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would become a party to the ICC but that has yet to happen. (Reuters - 17/11/09)