Security Council

5912^th Meeting (AM)

Security Council urges sudan’s government to fully cooperate with International

Criminal Court ‘to put an end to impunity for the crimes committed in darfur’

Presidential Statement Follows 5 June Briefing by Prosecutor,

Notes Transmittal by Court’s Registry of Arrest Warrants in June 2007

The Security Council today, urged the Sudanese Government and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Court and its Chief Prosecutor “in order to put and end to impunity for the crimes being committed” in the strife-torn western region of Africa’s largest country.

In a statement read by the Council President for the month, Zalmay Khalilzad of the United States, the 15-nation body urged compliance consistent with a call made three years ago in its resolution 1593 (2005), which referred Darfur war crimes to the International Criminal Court, and “decided that Khartoum and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur, shall cooperate fully with and provide any necessary assistance to the Court and the Prosecutor pursuant to this resolution.”

Taking note of Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s 5 June briefing, Council members also took note of his efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Also taking note of the Court’s “follow-up” with the Government of Sudan, the Council particularly noted that exactly one year ago today, the Court transmitted to Khartoum a request to execute outstanding arrest warrants for a Sudanese minister and an alleged militia leader suspected of war crimes in the Darfur region.  Under resolution 1593 (2005), the Sudan is required to take into custody people charged with crimes and turn them over to The Hague-based Court to be tried.

During his 5 June briefing, Mr. Ocampo told the Council that the Sudan was not cooperating with the Court to arrest and surrender Ahmad Harun and Ali Kushayb for crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.  Further, he had collected compelling evidence that would identify those most responsible for crimes against civilians, and that he had found “no trace of Sudanese judicial proceedings regarding the matter during the last three years.”  (See Press Release SC/9349.)

The meeting began at 10:41 a.m. and ended at 10:45 a.m.

Presidential Statement

The presidential statement, to be issued as document S/PRST/2008/21, reads as follows:

“The Security Council takes note of the seventh briefing of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court pursuant to resolution 1593 (2005) on 5 June 2008.

“The Security Council recalls its decision, under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, in resolution 1593 (2005) that the Government of Sudan and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur shall cooperate fully with and provide any necessary assistance to the International Criminal Court and the Prosecutor pursuant to that resolution, while stressing the principle of complementarity of the International Criminal Court.

“The Security Council takes note of the efforts made by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to bring to justice the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur and in particular notes the follow-up by the International Criminal Court with the Government of Sudan, including the transmittal by the Registry of the International Criminal Court to the Government of Sudan on 16 June 2007 of arrest warrants and the opening by the Prosecutor of other investigations on crimes committed by various parties in Darfur.

“In this respect, the Council urges the Government of Sudan and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur to cooperate fully with the Court, consistent with resolution 1593 (2005), in order to put an end to impunity for the crimes committed in Darfur.”

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For information media • not an official record