Dear Mr. Secretary-General,

The XVth International Congress of Penal Law was held in Rio de Janeiro, September 4-10, 1994. It was attended by 1,100 jurists from 67 countries. The Association represents more than 3,000 members and affiliates in 97 countries.

At its general assembly, the Association voted the attached Resolution, which was asked to transmit to you. It is therefore my pleasure to transmit to you the Resolution with the request that you trasnmit it to the appropriate organs of the United Nations concerned with the establishment of an International Criminal Court.

I take this opportunity to extend to you my warmest personal regards.

Sincerely yours

M. Cherif Bassiouni

President

RESOLUTION

L'Association International del Droit Pénal/The International Association of Penal Law (AIDP), at its XVth Intern0ational Congress of Penal Law, held in Rio de Janeiro, September 4-10, 1994 and attended by over 1,100 Jurists from 67 countries, hereby resolved the following which has been adopted by the General Assembly on 10 September 1994:

- Recalling that throughout its 105-year history, the AIDP has promoted initiatives to establish international criminal justice under a system of law administered by an international Criminal Court;

- Noting with appreciation the efforts of the International Law Commission to establish an International Criminal Court;

- Expressing its satisfaction at the establisment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the parallel effort to establish a similar process for Rwanda;

- Committed to ensuring the world comunity that major violators of international humanitarian law and international human rights law not be permitted to commit such violations with impunity;

- Convinced that the establishment of a permanent international criminal court would significantly enhance observance of international law and respect for human rights;

- Equally convinced that an international criminal justice system would contribute to the effective enforcement of criminal law, particularly with respect to the control of organized crime, terrorism, illicit traffic in arms - particularly weapons of mass destruction and nuclear material and violations of international humanitarian law;

- Envisaging a world order in which international criminal justice plays at the world level a role comparable to that national criminal justice plays at national levels;

- Insisting that international criminal justice remains free from political influences and bias which might impede its integrity and effectiveness;

- Concerned, however, that delays in the establishment of a permanent international criminal justice system exacerbate problems regarding the peaceful co-existence of nations, the peace and security of peoples everywhere and the quality of life of every human being;

- Calls on the United Nations' organs, in particular the General Assembly and the Security Council, as well as the Secretary General, to devote the utmost effort to the speedy implementation of the above recommendations by calling for a plenipotentiary conference in 1995 to consider the International Law Commission's report for the establishment of a permanent International Criminal Court;

- Also calls upon all governments to support the goals of international criminal justice and the work of the United Nations related thereto and to participate in the plenipotentiary conference called for above with a view to establish an effective international criminal justice system without delay;

- To that end the International Association of Penal Law offers its full support and expertise to the United Nations and to interested governments.

Resolved at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 10 September, 1994.

Certified by:

M. Cherif Bassiouni

President