CAIRO: Egypt called on Tuesday for the International Criminal Court to delay for a year any war crimes indictment against Sudanese President Omar Al-Beshir, while efforts are under way to end fighting in Darfur.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit made the comments after a rare visit to Sudan by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday when he discussed the Darfur conflict with Al-Beshir.

Aboul Gheit cited an ICC clause that allows for the deferral of war crimes investigations for one year at the request of the UN Security Council, the official MENA news agency reported.

"In this period we could, with Egyptian, African and international efforts, achieve reconciliation in Sudan," it quoted Aboul Gheit as saying.

Al-Beshir was accused by ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in July of instructing his forces to annihilate non-Arab ethnic groups in Darfur, masterminding murder, torture, pillaging and the use of rape to commit genocide.

However, no ICC warrant has been issued for Al-Beshir.

"Our view is that it is not permissible to accuse the leader of a nation as it goes through exceedingly tumultuous conditions, and the problem of Darfur is very complicated," MENA quoted Aboul Gheit as saying. –AFP