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U.S. DEMOCRATIC ALLIES STRONGLY SUPPORT THE ICC
More than 90 countries around the world are full members of the ICC,
accepting its jurisdiction and supporting its work. This includes
almost every major U.S. ally, including all members of the European Union.
For countries like Canada and New Zealand, the ICC is a means to
help other countries improve their legal systems and ensure that justice is
served for the worst crimes known to humanity, no matter where they occur.
For countries like Afghanistan and Bosnia, the ICC is another tool
for building the rule of law and protecting their new democracies against future
atrocities. For countries like Colombia and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, the ICC has immediate practical import as another
avenue for pursuing justice for ongoing crimes. The ICC has gone
from an idea to a reality within a decade, and more countries around the world
continue to join the ICC.
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ICC SIGNATORIES AND STATES PARTIES
European Union: All 15 current EU members are States
Parties.
"The establishment of the International Criminal Court, for the purpose of
preventing and curbing the commission of the serious crimes falling within its
jurisdiction, is an essential means for promoting respect for international
humanitarian law and human rights, thus contributing to freedom, security,
justice, and the rule of law as well as contributing to the preservation of
peace and the strengthening of international security, in accordance with the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations."
-- from the Council of the European
Union Common Position on the ICC, June 2001.
Canada: Ratified July 2000, 14th State Party.
"The International Criminal Court is a central element of Canada's human
security agenda. Canada played an important role in the development of the Court
and the adoption of the Rome Statute, and will continue to be involved as the
focus shifts from ratification of the Statute to its entry into force. This
is truly a historical moment for international justice."
-- Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs, from Canada's
ICC website.
United Kingdom: Ratified October 2001, 42nd State
Party
"We work for international order because we believe in human rights and
because it is in Britain's national interest to do so. A more stable,
democratic world is safer to live, travel and trade in.
"Establishing an International Criminal Court will be a
major contribution towards deterring crimes against humanity. At present, there
is no permanent international body to which the Pol Pots and Milosevics of this
world would be answerable. International tribunals such as those for Rwanda and
former Yugoslavia, although valuable, are limited to one area. We wish to move
away from an ad-hoc system to permanent deterrence. The International
Criminal Court will always be there to call the world's tyrants to account.
"The International Criminal Court Bill will enable us to
achieve our target of becoming a founding member of the Court and send a
clear message to the world's tyrants that Britain wants them to face
international justice. We took the lead in the negotiations to agree the
Treaty on the International Criminal Court. We are now taking the lead in
ratifying it."
-- former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, upon introduction of the ratification
bill to Parliament, 15 December 2000.
New Zealand: Ratified September 2000, 17th State Party
"New Zealand will therefore continue to work with others to ensure that the
ICC is given the opportunity to prove itself. We are doing this in the
memory of the millions who have died in conflicts in recent decades; children,
women, and men. We are doing it for future generations; to bring to an
end the culture of impunity, to ensure that the most serious crimes of concern
to the international community do not go unpunished, and in the words of the
preamble "to guarantee lasting respect for and enforcement of international
justice"."
-- Permanent Representative to the UN Don MacKay, UN General Assembly, 14
October 2002.
Australia: Ratified July 2002, 75th State Party
"The creation of the ICC is a significant achievement for the international
legal community. The lack of a permanent international forum to try persons
accused of the most serious crimes of international concern was a serious flaw
in the international legal system. Australia is confident the Court will ensure
that persons who have committed genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes
are punished, and will deter others from committing such egregious crimes."
-- Statement of the Australian representative Richard Rowe, UN General
Assembly, 15 October 2002
Japan: In the process of ratification and accession
"It is necessary for us to contemplate what has in fact finally motivated
the international community, after all these years to make the Court a reality.
I would suggest that it was the voices of all the victims, the families who had
lost loved ones, as well as those who had lost their homes. Our conscience
would no longer let us turn away from such repeated tragedies, and so,
summoning the necessary political will, we resolved to tackle this difficult
challenge."
-- Statement by Mr. Shuichi Akamatsu, Representative of Japan, UN General
Assembly, 14 October 2002
"It goes without saying that what we all strive for is
the peace and stability in international society where there exists no war,
hunger and suffering of people. Despite all the aspiration among the people and
the wisdom of leaders and intellectuals to realize such world, we have yet to
achieve this goal. What is so deplorable is that we are still witnessing the
recurrence of violence, grief and tears among our friends and neighbors around
the world. This is the reality that called for the creation of the ICC....
It is our dearest hope that through the basic principle of
complementarity, there will be a rule of law spread out in the international
community. The ICC will serve as the catalyst for each nation to fully implement
its obligations under international law, and suppress any attempt, or even
intention for anyone to dare to commit such grave violation of human rights.
With its comprehensive coverage of the most serious crimes and thorough
cooperation the Court can enjoy from the States Parties, the ICC will ensure
that there will be no place on earth where perpetrators may escape. Thus, we
can truly root out the cause that tolerates the culture of impunity. In order to
achieve such objectives, it is imperative that the ICC wins the widest possible
support among the members of the international community."
-- Statement by Ms. Naoko Saiki, Head of the Delegation of Japan, ICC
Preparatory Commission, 1 July 2002.
Other U.S. Allies:
France: Ratified June 2000, 12th State Party
Argentina: Ratified February 2001, 28th State Party
South Korea: Ratified November 2002, 83rd State Party
Russia: Signed September 2000, in the process of ratification
Jordan: Ratified April 2002, 60th State Party
U.S. Allies Speak Out Against U.S. Anti-ICC Policies:
The Bush administration is demanding that no country surrender any U.S. citizen,
and even some non-citizens, to the ICC. Many U.S. allies have taken a
strong position against this demand.
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For further information about government positions, including
official statements, see www.iccnow.org.
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