Sommaire: EU Presidency Statement - International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia Reports (10 October 2005: New York)
STATEMENT BY THE UNITED KINGDOM ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION on the REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, PLENARY, New York
Mr President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The following countries align themselves with this statement: the acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania; the candidate countries Croatia* and Turkey; the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area; and other aligning country Ukraine.
Mr President,
First of all we would like to thank Judge Mose, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and Judge Meron, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), for their briefings earlier this afternoon. And we thank Judge Meron for his distinguished service in his term as ICTY President.
The European Union believes strongly in the principle of no impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. Both the ICTR and the ICTY were established to hold individuals accountable for such crimes. Peace, justice and the rule of law are inextricably linked, and both Tribunals have made very important contributions toward reconciliation and peacebuilding in the countries that they have served.
The European Union reaffirms its full support for the ICTR and the ICTY, and commends their entire staff in their efforts to bring justice to victims of the most shocking crimes.
We thank the ICTR for its concise 10th Annual Report and the ICTY for its comprehensive 12th Annual Report, although regret that the latter's length impeded a more timely distribution. We welcome the developments and improvements achieved over the last 12 months.
The ICTR has delivered three trial judgements, bringing the total to 19 judgements involving 25 accused since 1997. A further 25 persons are currently on trial. The Appeals Chamber has delivered four judgements in respect of five persons. Appeals in a further ten trial judgements, and on application for review of the trial judgement, are pending. Five new trials have been started during the reporting period. We are grateful for the update on progress today. The ICTR submitted its revised
completion strategy to the Security Council in May, and we welcome the construction of the fourth courtroom as an important element in that strategy.
Unfortunately, we have had little time to study the ICTY Report. But we know that a large number of indictees have arrived at the ICTY. We recognise that the increased numbers awaiting trial in The Hague will impact on the timely implementation of the Completion Strategy, but hope that that can be kept to a minimum. We welcome the completion of pre-indictment investigations and the submission of final indictments. The EU also warmly welcomes the establishment of Working Groups of Judges on the
speeding up of trials and appeals, and looks forward to hearing more about the implementation of the recommendations of these groups.
Mr President,
The European Union welcomes the commitment of the Presidents of both tribunals to the Completion Strategy. The Tribunals should indeed make every effort to respect the deadlines set out in Security Council resolutions 1503 (2003) and 1534 (2004). And in return, the international community also has a commitment. Sufficient resources, co-operation, assistance and the support of Member States are essential to the work of the tribunals.
The European Union welcomes the considerable improvement in States co-operation with the Tribunals over the last twelve months. It is crucial that States co-operate with requests for access to archives and documents, securing the appearance in court of prosecution witnesses and the arrest and transfer of indictees still at large. We reiterate the need to intensify efforts to arrest and transfer Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina to the ICTY and Felicien Kabuga to the ICTR for
trial. The continuous full co-operation of Rwanda and its neighbours and the countries of the Western Balkans with the respective Tribunals remains essential.
The European Union welcomes the efforts made by both tribunals to transfer cases to domestic jurisdictions, and their activities in the area of national capacity building. We welcome the opening of a Special Chamber for War Crimes prosecutions in the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 9 March 2005, and the first transfer of a case from the ICTY on 29 September. The EU restates its appeal to the Tribunals to ensure that the necessary standards of fair trial, independence and full respect
for human rights are complied with in national trials.
Finally Mr President,
We would like to reassure the Tribunals of the full support of the European Union and to thank all members of the tribunals and their Chambers, Appeals Chambers and Registries, as well as the Offices of the Prosecutors, for their contribution to peace, justice and the rule of law and for the legacy they will leave for the future development of international criminal law.
* Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
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