To the attention of Mr. Hans van Mierlo

Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Netherlands

Brussels, October 13, 1994

Your Excellency,

Whilst the adherence for the institution of a permanent International Penal Tribunal has increased (see enclosed list) and a growing number of states have publicly demonstrated their support for this initiative through the vote of their Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, the United States government most surprisingly showed their intention to subsequently go deeper into the question by referring the draft Statute to an ad hoc committee.

This unquestionably represents a very serious decision which, should it have the support of the majority of states, would mean the sine die suspension of the formation of the permanent International Penal Tribunal, thereby depriving the international community of an important tool to dissuade all those who - following the Ruandan, former-Yugoslavian or other "examples" - would like to win agreement for their "reasons" to resort to force and violence.

Hundreds of members of Parliament and thousands of citizens from all over the world have thus mobilized to reinforce the "front" - during the next few days before the opening of the VIth United Nations Commission (which has jurisdiction over the final adoption of the Statute of the permanent Tribunal) - of those who consider it essential that the international Community equip itself with this new instrument of justice.

It is for this reason, that we kindly appeal to you that the United Kingdom use the prestige it commands within the General Assembly in order to convince those states that yet hesitate regarding the position they will adopt at the voting of the VI 1/2 Commission.

Assured that you will understand the importance and urgency of this initiative, we remain

Very respectfully yours,

Emma Bonino Olivier Dupuis

Deputy President

Secretary of the General Council

of the Radical Party of the Radical Party