Sudan Says Africa Wants Out of War Crimes Court

United Nations: Sudan's foreign minister is accusing the International Criminal Court of being politicized and hampering peace.

Ibrahim Ghandour told the U.N. General Assembly's annual ministerial meeting on Saturday that African states are therefore calling "for elaboration of a plan to collectively withdraw from the ICC."

The world's permanent war crimes tribunal has focused significant attention on Africa including issuing arrest warrants for Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide stemming from alleged atrocities in the Darfur region.

Ghandour reiterated Sudan's call for the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur to withdraw, saying "thanks to the government, Darfur has become a safe region where peace and security have prevailed."

A rebellion in Darfur against Sudan's government has killed 300,000 people since 2003, the U.N. estimates.