SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS PHILIPPE KIRSCH ‘FATHER’ OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT;

PRAISES COURAGE, CONTRIBUTION OF COURT’S FIRST PRESIDENT AT NEW YORK RECEPTION

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at a reception hosted by the Friends of the International Criminal Court and the Coalition for the International Criminal Court, in New York, 10 February:

It is a great pleasure and honour for me to meet with all of you on the occasion of honouring the distinguished President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Philippe Kirsch.

This afternoon, in fact, I have said all that I wanted to tell him on his departure.  I expressed my sincere admiration and respect for all that he has done as the first ever President of the ICC, the man who has made a tremendous contribution to the judicial system and to bringing an end to impunity and to giving out a strong message to the whole international community to prevent any potential perpetrators of crimes, to make this world more equitable and to bring justice.  I really admire his courage and contribution as the President of the ICC.

The United Nations attaches great importance to its relationship with the ICC.  Our Organization provided crucial assistance and support to the United Nations Member States that created the Court.  Since the adoption of the UN-ICC Relationship Agreement, cooperation between our two institutions has expanded steadily, to our mutual satisfaction.

While the duties and responsibilities of the two organizations are distinct and separate, the major goals and objectives of our two institutions are the same.  We are working towards the common cause and objectives: to bring [about a] world without any violence, any crime.  I am very happy that we have maintained such a relationship, and I again thank President Kirsch for that.

I know we all share the hope that it will strike a blow against the impunity enjoyed for far too long by perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole.

As the Court’s first President, our distinguished colleague and friend Philippe Kirsch has been at the centre of this process and progress.  As his mandate nears its end, it is fitting that we take this opportunity to pay our deepest tribute to him.

In his long career, Mr. Kirsch has served his country and the international community with distinction.  He was instrumental in the Court’s founding.  In fact, in my different capacity, I have been closely following up and monitoring from the beginning of this diplomatic convention.

Now we owe a great deal to President Kirsch, that he has made the ICC, a newly born judicial organization, to great standing, respected by everybody, and to make this organization credible and reliable in terms of bringing justice.

And all along, he took on ever greater responsibility, and earned ever greater admiration from his peers.  It is no exaggeration to describe him as the “father” of the ICC.  This is exactly what I told him this afternoon in my office.

As such, ladies and gentlemen, he deserves our gratitude.  I know you will all join me in thanking him for his contribution to the cause of international justice, and in wishing him well in his future endeavours.

The United Nations looks forward to strengthening our ties and doing our part to help the Court achieve its great potential.  Thank you again for your commitment to advancing the cause of justice and peace everywhere.

I wish you every success in your important deliberations and again in your endeavours.  Wherever you may be, you have our full support and my heart.

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For information media • not an official record