Bashir cancels visit to Istanbul

Istanbul, 09 Nov-(ANA)-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, indicted by the International Criminal Court, has pulled out of an Islamic summit in Istanbul, officials say.

The Turkish government had previously welcomed the attendance of President Bashir at the meeting and said that he would not be arrested.

But the EU, which Turkey hopes to join, wanted the invitation to be withdrawn.

Sudan's state-run Suna news agency said "new developments" had required Mr Bashir's presence in Sudan.

Mr Bashir was in Egypt on Sunday, taking part in a China-Africa summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

He was due in Istanbul on Monday for the summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). (ANA)

FA/ANA/09 November 2009---