INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT: THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CALLS UPON THE MEMBER STATES OF THE EU NOT TO MAKE COMPROMISES ON THE ESSENTIAL POINTS OF THE STATUTE OF THE FUTURE COURT AND IN PARTICULAR ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE COURT WITH REGARD TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL.

Strasbourg/Brussels, 21 November 1997.

The European Parliament adopted yesterday, Thursday 20 November, an urgent resolution demanding "the Council and the Member States to reach a common position on controversial aspects of the Statute for the International Criminal Court, and to act in concert at the 52nd General Assembly of the UN to ensure that the Diplomatic Conference is completed in Rome 1998, without compromising on essential points of principle".

The resolution underlines the fundamental importance of the independence of the Court from the Security Council as well as the independence of the prosecutor of the Court to undertake investigation and to indite suspects without necessarily obtaining the consent of interested States. The resolution also engages the EU assure the Court with long-term financing.

Declaration of Gianfranco Dell'Alba and Olivier Dupuis, Members of European Parliament:

"The Parliament confirms its engagement in favour of the creation of the Permanent International Court. This resolution underlines the essential points which still remain in suspense in order to ensure an effective institution of the Court and its good functioning. We hope that the Council and the Member States will welcome the invitation of our assembly to fulfill its work for the full success of the Conference in Rome in June 1998. The last phase of this long and difficult struggle crucially needs the firm support, decision and unanimity of the Member States of European Union to make the year 1998 the year of first big reform of the United Nations since its foundation.

Transnational Radical Party

Text of the resolution