The Sudanese Minister of Information Ahmed Bilal Osman says his country doesn’t intend to take any action against South Africa following an order to arrest Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, minister Bilal downplayed The South African High Court's order to arrest al-Bashir, who is wanted for allegedly commiting war crimes in Darfur.

The High Court's actions forced Bashir to flee South Africa before the end of the African Union Summit which he was attending in order to avoid arrest.
But Bilal dismissed the High Court as only a 'local court,' and said President Bashir returned to Khartoum after receiving hospitality and appreciation from the Government of South Africa.

“The South African government cannot arrest President Bashir or prevent him from travelling.  He was welcomed as an honourable guest and went to the airport with Thabo Mbeki, so the president didn’t escape,” he claimed.

The South African High Court in Pretoria on Monday ordered that the South African government arrest Sudan's President Omar al Bashir. The court was immediately told by the government's advocate in court that the Sudanese president had already left the country.

The judge then issued an order that the government provide an explanation to the court within seven days disclosing the place where President Bashir left the country and the time that he left.