African Union Gives ICC Ultimatum over Kenyatta Trial
African nations on Saturday said that Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta should not show up for trial at the International Criminal Court before a response is given to demands his case be adjourned.
"What the summit decided is that President Kenyatta should not appear until the requests we have made is actually answered," said Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus after a special African Union meeting.
"This elected leader should lead his country," he said.
Tedros did not say if a mass pull-out of African nations from the ICC was discussed at the summit, but said it could be an option in the future if the AU's requests were not met.
"The option is open, it's on the table but no need to resort to that now," he told reporters.
Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have been charged with crimes against humanity for allegedly masterminding a vicious campaign of ethnic violence that left at least 1,100 dead and more than 600,000 homeless after disputed 2007 elections.
Now allies and elected this year on a platform of national reconciliation, they argue the case is violating Kenyan sovereignty, undoing efforts at national reconciliation and hampering their running of the country.
The African Union has also accused the Hague-based ICC of singling out Africa when pursuing cases.
Ruto's trial is underway and Kenyatta is due in court on November 12.
Should the accused fail to turn up for any of the hearings that could trigger arrest warrants, with Kenya then running the risk of diplomatic isolation.
Source: Agence France Presse
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