Security Council

5518^th Meeting* (AM)

Security Council extends term of judge on Rwanda tribunal,

unanimously adopting resolution 1705 (2006)

 

The Security Council decided this morning, in response to a proposal by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to extend the term of a short-term judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, allowing her to complete the case she began before the expiry of her tenure.

By its unanimous adoption of resolution 1705 (2006), the Council authorized Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa, effective 28 August 2006, to continue serving as an ad litem judge in the Butare case until its completion.  According to the President of the Tribunal, the trial was expected to continue beyond 24 June 2007, when the judge’s term was scheduled to end.

The meeting began at 10:05 a.m. and ended at 10:10 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1705 (2006) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Taking note of the letter to the President of the Security Council from the Secretary-General dated 25 August 2006 (S/2006/688),

“Decides that notwithstanding Article 12 ter of the Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and notwithstanding that Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa’s elected term as an ad litem judge of the Tribunal will, in accordance with Article 12 ter of the Tribunal’s Statute, end on 24 June 2007, she be authorized effective 28 August 2006 to continue to serve as a judge in the Butare case until its completion.”

Background

In identical letters dated 25 August 2005 from the Secretary-General and addressed to the Presidents of the Security Council and the General Assembly (documents A/60/989-S/2006/688), the Secretary-General transmits a letter dated 24 August 2006 from the Tribunal President.  The Secretary-General proposes that the two organs authorize Judge Bossa to continue serving in the Butare trial until its completion, notwithstanding the provisions of article 12 ter, paragraph 2 of the Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the fact that by doing so she may exceed her elected term as an ad litem judge.

He notes that the approval of the Security Council as the parent organ of the Tribunal and the General Assembly as the organ that elects its judges is needed effective 28 August 2006 in order to allow Judge Bossa to continue.  Allowing her to continue serving in the trial will definitely assist in achieving the highly desirable objective of ensuring that the Tribunal remains in the best position to meet the target dates in its Completion Strategy.

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*     The 5517^th Meeting was closed.

For information media • not an official record