PSC/PR/Comm. (CLXXV) Rev.1 Page 1 COMMUNIQUE OF THE 175TH MEETING OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 175th meeting held on 5 March 2009, adopted the following decision on the ruling of Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against the President of the Republic of the Sudan, Mr. Omar Hassan Al Bashir: Council, 1. Recalls communiqué PSC/MIN/Comm(CXLII) Rev.1 adopted at its 142nd meeting held on 21 July 2008, as well as decision Assembly/AU/Dec.221 (XII) adopted by the Assembly of the Union at its 12th Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa from 1 to 3 February 2009; 2. Expresses deep concern over the decision taken by Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC on 4 March 2009, to issue an arrest warrant against the President of the Republic of the Sudan, Mr. Omar Hassan Al Bashir, for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the far reaching consequences of this decision. Council notes with regret that this decision comes at a critical juncture in the process to promote lasting peace, reconciliation and democratic governance in the Sudan, and underlines that the search for justice should be pursued in a way that does not impede or jeopardize the promotion of peace; 3. Urges the Sudanese authorities to continue to exercise utmost restraint, uphold all the international obligations of the Sudan and display continued commitment to the search for peace and stability in Darfur and in the Sudan as a whole. Council appeals to all Sudanese parties to renew their commitment to refrain from any action likely to further complicate the situation and extend full cooperation to the efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace and reconciliation in the Sudan; 4. Reaffirms the AU’s conviction that the process initiated by the ICC and the decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber have the potential to seriously undermine the ongoing efforts to address the many pressing peace and security challenges facing the Sudan and may lead to further suffering for the people of the Sudan and greater destabilization of the country and the region; 5. Deeply regrets that, despite the risks posed by the ongoing ICC process to the search for lasting peace and stability in the Sudan, the United Nations Security Council has failed to consider with the required attention the request made by the AU to implement the provisions of article 16 of the ICC Statute; 6. Appeals once again to the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities by deferring the process initiated by the ICC to give a chance to peace, and reiterates the AU’s determination to continue to do whatever is in its power to mobilize the necessary support;