NAIROBI -- Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dismissed local media reports that he supports attempts by the International Criminal Court to indict Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir over alleged war crimes in the troubled Darfur region.
In a statement received here Monday, Odinga termed the reports which appeared on Sunday as "false and misleading."
The 62-year-old Odinga, who entered into a coalition government with President Mwai Kibaki early this year after post-election crisis, said his position on ICC indictment is very clear and it was communicated to Sudanese presidential advisor Bona Malwal who met him a fortnight ago.
"The PM's position on the indictment is very clear and it was communicated to Bona Malwal, the presidential envoy, two weeks ago, " the statement said.
The PM said he was an advocate of independent investigations into allegations of war crimes, but was not in a position to assess the work of the International Criminal Court.
"Odinga is a strong supporter of independent investigations of any serious allegations of war crimes. But he is not in any position to assess the ICC's work," it said.
Odinga said that the current effort by the Hague-based ICC could complicate the search for peace in that country.
"Ending this war must be the principal priority of Sudan and the international community. Anything that could derail this vital goal would be regrettable," said the statement.
The east African nation is a signatory of the African Union's resolution that has asked the UN Security Council to suspend the indictment, arguing it would derail peace process in the restive region.
Last month, the ICC General Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accused Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir of crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur, and the prosecution requested an arrest warrant for him.
The ICC Prosecutor charged Sudan's president with masterminding a campaign of genocide in Darfur, killing 35,000 people and persecuting 2.5 million refugees.
Ocampo asked the court for an arrest warrant for al-Bashir, the most senior figure pursued by the court since it was set up in 2002.
But Al-Bashir last week said the genocide charges levelled against him were part of a global campaign to topple his government, divide the country and plunder its oil resources.
He said there were forces behind the ICC seeking to drive him from power before next year's elections can take place and has also vowed never to let any Sudanese to be tried outside Sudan.
Sudan is not a signatory to the treaty that established the ICC and said last month it won't cooperate with the court.
Leaders of the African Union have also warned that indicting Beshir could lead to a power vacuum in Sudan, increasing the risk of military coups and even anarchy, jeopardizing efforts to resolve the situation.
