ASSEMBLY OF STATES PARTIES TO ROME STATUTE OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT TO MEET 8-12 SEPTEMBER

ASSEMBLY OF STATES PARTIES TO ROME STATUTE OF INTERNATIONAL

CRIMINAL COURT TO MEET 8-12 SEPTEMBER

(Reissued as received.)

THE HAGUE, 5 September (ICC Secretariat) -- The second session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will take place in New York from 8 to 12 September 2003.

The Assembly will consider the report and activities of the Court and the report of the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties.

The President of the ICC, Judge Philippe Kirsch, the Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo and the Registrar Bruno Cathala will deliver their statements and provide information on any question under consideration of the Assembly.

The Assembly will decide on the following issues:

      Establishment of a permanent secretariat of the Assembly of States Parties that will replace the provisional secretariat.

Consideration and adoption of the budget for the second financial year of the ICC:  the budget was considered by the Committee on Budget and Finance (4 to 8 August 2003), and their comments and recommendations to the Assembly were provided to the ICC.

Consideration and adoption of the staff regulations of the International Criminal Court.  A conscious effort has been made to establish a framework that reflects the overall approach to the structure of the Court, in particular the independence of the Prosecutor, the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, and other constitutive instruments of the Court.

      Adoption of the scale of assessments:  by stating the amount of contribution that each country will pay to the ICC.

      Election of the Deputy Prosecutor (Investigation):  a Deputy Prosecutor will be elected by secret ballot by an absolute majority of the members of the Assembly from a list of candidates provided by the Prosecutor.  Three candidates were nominated for this position:  Serge Brammertz (Belgium), Hassan Bubacarr Jallow (Gambia), and Vladimir Tochilovsky (Ukraine).  On 3 September 2003, Mr. Jallow withdrew his candidature through a communication sent to the President of the Assembly.  Mr. Jallow has been appointed new Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on 4 September 2003 through a resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council.

      Election of members of the Committee on Budget and Finance:  on 21 April 2003, 10 members were elected.  The Assembly will elect during this second session two members of the Committee nominated by Eastern European States:  Inna Steinbuka (Latvia) and Elena Sopková (Slovakia)

      Election of members of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fundfor the benefit of victims of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court, and families of such victims:  the closure of the nomination period on 21 August 2003, only the nomination of the former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oscar Arias Sánchez had been received.  The Board shall have five members.

      Establishment of an international criminal bar:  Hans Bevers (Netherlands) was appointed by the Assembly of States Parties to act as focal point on the establishment of an international criminal bar.  The Assembly will consider the report he has submitted.  This item has been inscribed on the provisional agenda of the Assembly.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has 91 States Parties.

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