Statement by the President of the Council of the European Union,

Dr.Klaus Kinkel, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal republic of Germany

About International Permanent Court:

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INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

The European Union welcomes the finalization by the International Law Commission of a draft statute for permanent international criminal court. Recent developments have shown the urgent need for decisions on the question of a permanent institution, the very existence of which may play an important role in preventing the commission of serious breaches of international humanitarian law and serious human rights violations, and which may be an important instrument in avoiding impunity for those who commit such acts. The European Union therefore looks forward to a conctructive discussion of this item in the sixth committee of the General Assembly.-