His Excellency
Ambassador Reginald Bartholomew
United States Embassy
Rome
Rome, Thursday October 13th, 1994
Your Excellency,
Recently, I was appointed by the Italian Government to act on its behalf concerning the International Criminal Court. In particular, I shall represent the Italian position within UNGA's 6th Committee when the issue will be raised between October 24th and November 4th.
In the meantime, worlwide support in favour of the international Appeal for the establishment of the Court is rapidly increasing. Hundreds of parliamentarians, mayors and scholars, as well as thousands of citizens from many different countries, have mobilized in order to strengthen the front of those who consider it essential for the international community to equip itself with this new instrument of justice.
Furthermore, a number of Governments, during the opening days of the 49th UNGA, have overtly spoken in favour of a speedy adoption of the Court's Statute.
It came rather as a surprise, therefore, when, on October 5th, the United States Government declared that "calling a diplomatic conference ( even for a date some years in the future) is premature, given the existing differences among States on the issue of establishment of and modalities for an ICC. At this point, a conference is unlikely to succeed." The USG then proposes "to defer a decision on whether to convene a diplomatic conference until next year at the 50th UNGA" and "to create an intersessional ad hoc committee to serve as forum for States to exchange views".
This certainly represents a very momentous decision which, if carried through, would inevitably mean the postponement sine die of the establishment of the ICC, at the same time depriving the international community of a fundamental tool aimed at deterring all those who want to enforce their will through the use of force and violence.
For these reasons, together with a number of colleagues from different political affiliations, I would appreciate if we could arrange a brief meeting as soon as possible, also to allow me to hand over to you the text of the Appeal and an up-dated list of signatories.
Yours sincerely,
Emma Bonino
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
Secretary of the Radical Party