By Khaled Abdelaziz
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the only sitting head of state wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC), was sworn in on Thursday after his re-election in polls marred by boycotts.
Bashir, who rejects charges of ordering mass murder, rape and torture in war-torn western Darfur, will now preside over a January referendum on secession for Sudan's semi-autonomous south, which many analysts believe will result in independence for the oil-producing region.
Wearing a flowing white robe and white headdress, Bashir welcomed heads of at least five African states attending the ceremony, including Mauritania, Chad and Djibouti, but the swearing-in put European diplomats in a quandary.
The EU supports efforts by the ICC to bring Bashir to justice but is also keen to maintain dialogue to ensure the referendum is conducted peacefully.
The United Nations said it would send its top two diplomats in the country, despite calls from human rights advocates.
