PREPARATORY COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT DISCUSSES DRAFT SUMMARY OF CURRENT SESSION
Press Release
L/2785
PREPARATORY COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT DISCUSSES DRAFT SUMMARY OF CURRENT SESSION
19960411 Chairmen Says Intended to Reflect Issues, Problem AreasThe Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court this afternoon took up consideration of the draft summary of its proceedings.
The Committee Rapporteur, Jun Yoshida (Japan), presented the draft summary of the proceedings of the Preparatory Committee. The draft contains an introduction and six main sections. The areas covered include: the scope of jurisdiction and definition of crimes; aggression; serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflict; crimes against humanity; treaty-based crimes; substantive issues; and complementarity.
The draft summary also covers: the question of a trigger mechanism; cooperation between States and the court; apprehension and surrender; international cooperation and judicial assistance; and recognition of judgements and enforcement of sentences. Mr. Yoshida said that a number of annexes would be circulated on the questions of general principles of criminal law, complementarity, trigger mechanism, definitions of crimes, and cooperation between the court and national jurisdictions.
Committee Chairman Adriaan Bos (Netherlands) said that the current session was not adopting the report of the Preparatory Committee. That would be done at the August session. The summary of discussions was intended to reflect, not a summary of each delegation's view, but the problem areas and the main issues involved.
Statements in discussion of the summary were made by the representatives of Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, France, United States, Mexico, Viet Nam, South Africa, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Cameroon, Libya, Switzerland, Israel, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ireland, Tunisia, Algeria, Germany, India, Syria, China, Pakistan, Norway, Italy, Austria, and Guatemala.
When it meets again at 10 a.m. Friday, 12 April, the Preparatory Committee will continue consideration of the summary of its discussions.
* *** *