SECURITY COUNCIL APPOINTS PROSECUTORS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNALS FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, RWANDA

Security Council

4819^th Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL APPOINTS PROSECUTORS FOR INTERNATIONAL

TRIBUNALS FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, RWANDA

Resolutions 1504, 1505 Adopted Unanimously

The Security Council this morning unanimously adopted resolution 1504 (2003) to appoint Carla Del Ponte as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, as well as resolution 1505 (2003) to appoint Hassan Bubacar Jallow as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.  Both will serve four-year terms beginning on 15 September, following last week’s decision to split the prosecutorial duties for the two Tribunals, which to date had been the responsibility of Ms. Del Ponte.

The Council had taken the decision to split the duties in response to a 28 July letter (document S/2003/766) from the Secretary-General in which he indicated that, as the two Tribunals moved towards implementing their respective completion strategies, it was “essential, in the interests of efficiency and effectiveness”, that each have its own Prosecutor, able to devote his or her entire attention to the conduct of the outstanding investigations and prosecutions.  The Secretary-General also informed the Council of his intention to nominate and thus maintain Ms. Del Ponte as Prosecutor of the Yugoslavia Tribunal.

Consequently, the Council adopted resolution 1503 (2003) on 28 August, amending article 15 of the Rwanda Tribunal’s Statute and replacing it with the provision set out in Annex I to the resolution.  That created a new position of Prosecutor and described the process of appointment.

Also this morning, the Council paid tribute to Mikhail Wehbe, the Permanent Representative of Syria, who was attending his last Council meeting, as he was leaving for a new assignment.

Ambassador Wehbe then expressed his appreciation to the Council and said his delegation looked forward to working successfully under the United Kingdom’s Council presidency through Emyr Jones Parry. 

The meeting began at 10:41 a.m. and adjourned at 10:49 a.m.

Resolution 1504 (2003)

The full text of the above resolution reads, as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its resolution 1503 (2003) of 28 August 2003,

“Noting that by that resolution the Council created a new position of Prosecutor for the International Tribunal for Rwanda,

“Noting that by its resolution 1503 (2003) the Council welcomed the intention of the Secretary-General to submit to the Council the name of Mrs. Carla Del Ponte as nominee for Prosecutor for the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia,

“Having regard to Article 16(4) of the Statute of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia,

“Having considered the nomination by the Secretary-General of Mrs. Carla Del Ponte as Prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia,

“Appoints Mrs. Carla Del Ponte as Prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia with effect from 15 September 2003 for a four-year term.”

Resolution 1505 (2003)

The full text of the above resolution reads, as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its resolution 1503 (2003) of 28 August 2003,

“Noting that by that resolution the Council created a new position of Prosecutor of the International Tribunal for Rwanda,

“Having regard to Article 15(4) of the Statute of the International Tribunal for Rwanda as adopted by the Council in its resolution 1503 (2003),

“Having considered the nomination by the Secretary-General of Mr. Hassan Bubacar Jallow as Prosecutor of the International Tribunal for Rwanda,

“Appoints Mr. Hassan Bubacar Jallow as Prosecutor of the International Tribunal for Rwanda with effect from 15 September 2003 for a four-year term.”

* *** *