Secretary-General, in message to states parties, says their involvement

will determine lasting success of International Criminal Court

Following is the text of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the fifth session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, held in The Hague, on 23 November:

I send my warm greetings to all the participants in this Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

The International Criminal Court has come far in a short time.  At the Rome Diplomatic Conference in 1998, few could have expected that, by 2006, a fully operational entity would have initiated its first trials, an Office of the Prosecutor would be prosecuting or investigating multiple situations, there would be a Security Council referral, and the Court would have issued its first warrants of arrest.

The Court has established itself as the centrepiece of a truly international system of criminal justice.  And, it has become both the embodiment of, and the driving force behind, a profound evolution of international norms and law.

This substantial progress has been made possible by the strong commitment and unwavering support of each and every one of you.  With 104 ratifications, a clear majority of UN Member States are now State Parties to the Rome Statute, and the Court is moving closer to its ultimate goal of universal jurisdiction.

UN-ICC cooperation has also expanded greatly.  Our Relationship Agreement is being implemented through numerous supplementary arrangements.  And the United Nations continues to support the Prosecutor in numerous instances, including in all three situations currently being formally investigated or prosecuted.

The fact that the first ever witness before the Chambers of the Court in pre-trial proceedings is a United Nations official again reflects our strong commitment to ending impunity and aiding the ICC’s work.

Cooperation and assistance from the United Nations can, however, only be a secondary resort.  The most important and primary support must come from you, the States Parties to the Rome Statute.  It is your continued assistance and involvement that will determine the Court’s lasting success.

I, therefore, wish you fruitful discussions, constructive proceedings and a successful outcome to your fifth session, which will resume at United Nations Headquarters, in New York, early next year.

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For information media • not an official record