November 2, 1995

Statement by Mr. Lionel Yee Woon Chin

...It is clear from the above observations that much work remains to be done in resolving the many outstanding and often complicated issues arising out of the draft Statute. My delegation welcomes the proposal made by the Ad Hoc Committee in its Report that these issues should be addressed by combining further discussions with the drafting of texts with a view to preparing the consolidated text of a convention. We note that this proposal has received the support of many delegations in the course of the present debate. We are however of the view that in the light of the numerous unresolved issues, it is premature at this stage to set a fixed date for the convening of a conference of plenipotentiaries. It is only when work in earnest has begun on the drafting of the Statute and on the resolution of these outstanding issues that we will be in a position to determine when a diplomatic conference should be called.