The German Presidency of the European Union released the following press

statement on Tuesday, February 16, the first day of the prepcom:

------------------------------

P r e s s R e l e a s e

Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court

New York, 16 February 1999

The European Union looks forward to intensive and fruitful

negotiations during the first session of the

Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court to be

held in New York from 16 to 26

February. The Commission faces a long list of tasks to be fulfilled

in order to ensure that the Court will

soon be operational. The European Union continues to work towards

the early establishment of the

International Criminal Court and will therefore actively participate

in and contribute to the work of the

Preparatory Commission.

The European Union welcomes the election of Ambassador Philippe

Kirsch as chairman of the

Preparatory Commission .The EU has great confidence in his skills as

a lawyer, as a diplomat and as a

conference manager. The EU is grateful for the sound programme of

work he has presented. It is

appropriate that the programme focuses first on the elaboration of

the Rules of Procedure and Evidence

and of the Elements of Crimes in view of the target date of 30 June

2000 set by the Rome Conference

for the finalisation of these issues. The EU underlines that these

two documents should be elaborated in

a manner which fully respects the spirit and letter of the well

balanced provisions of the Rome Statute.

The EU is confident that all States will cooperate constructively

towards achieving a widely accepted text

of these important documents. The European Union reiterates its

conviction that the International

Criminal Court will make the world a more just and more peaceful

place in which to live. Recent

atrocities in many parts of the world have highlighted once again

the need to put an end to impunity for

heinous crimes. The Rome Statute is not only a landmark in the

development of international law and a

major achievement for the UN; above all it offers the opportunity

for a world where the interests of

peace and justice will not be seen as contradictory.

The European Union welcomes the fact that 75 States have signed the

Rome Statute as of today. All EU

Member States are signatories and undertake to complete their

individual constitutional procedures

required for ratification as speedily as possible. The EU

congratulates Senegal as the first State to have

ratified the Statute.

For the early coming into operation of the Court the widest support

of the international community is

needed. The European Union urges States to sign and ratify the Rome

Statute as soon as possible to

ensure that the necessary quorum of 60 States Parties for its entry

into force is secured at an early date.

Progress in the work of the Preparatory Commission must be

complemented by the completion of

national procedures for ratification. The EU welcomes all efforts,

not least those undertaken by

non-governmental organisations, to achieve this goal.

In conclusion, the European Union would like to stress once again

the important future role of the

International Criminal Court both in preventing serious violations

of international humanitarian law and

serious human rights violations, and in ensuring that those

responsible for atrocities are brought to

justice. The European Union will spare no effort in working towards

the early entry into force of the

Statute and the realization of an effective, functioning and

credible ICC.

----------------

Distributed by the

Coalition for an International Criminal Court

New York