LONDON, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Britain urged Sudan to cooperate fully with the International Court of Justice in whatever actions it decides to take.
Lord Triesman, foreign and commonwealth office minister for Africa, in a statement Wednesday welcomed the progress of the court which is now able to summon some of those responsible for atrocities in Darfur.
"The international community has long been concerned at the evidence of atrocities in Darfur," Triesman said.
The decision to approve the requests for issuance of summons is limited to judges of the U.N. high court.
Meanwhile, the minister expressed alarm at recent statements attributed to the Sudanese government in which they indicated their reluctance to cooperate with the court.
He reiterated his earlier demands for Khartoum to change the way it behaves, including stopping the use of aerial bombs.
"Such behavior is simply unacceptable and we will be watching their actions extremely carefully," the minister said.
He stressed the need for all sides to stop fighting and attacking humanitarian agencies, as there was mounting concern in the international community over the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur.
The International Criminal Court has been investigating events in Darfur since March 2005 following a request by the U.N. Security Council. If the judges issue the summons, the Sudanese government would normally be obliged to serve them on the specific individuals.
