June 16, 2008 (NEW YORK) – The Costa Rican envoy to the UN Jorge Urbina dismissed remarks by his Sudanese counterpart labeling his country as a “banana republic”.
- Costa Rica UN envoy Jorge Urbina speaking to reporters June 16, 2008.
The Sudanese UN ambassador Abdel-Mahmood Abdel-Haleem made the remark during a tour for the UN Security Council in Africa earlier this month where they made a stop in Khartoum.
Abdel-Haleem was angered by a draft presidential statement introduced by Costa Rica demanding that Sudan cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and hand over two Darfur war crimes suspects.
“We are very respectful of the Sudanese government. Of course we cannot take it that we are a banana republic” Urbina told reporters today in response to a question.
“In the UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] human development index Costa Rica is [ranks] 48 while Sudan is 147” he added.
The Sudanese envoy, described by Sudan expert Eric Reeves as “thuggish”, is well known for his blunt statements in defending his government’s positions. In recent weeks he directed harsh criticisms of the ICC prosecutor describing him as a “terrorist”.
“I assume that reflects very much the different levels of respect for international law that is also measured as a sign of human development” the Costa Rican envoy added.
Today the UNSC unanimously adopted a presidential statement urging Sudan to “fully cooperate” with the ICC.
(ST)
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