November 2, 1995

Statement by Prof. Paula Escarameila

...My delegation fully endorses, naturally, the statement presented by Spain on behalf of the European Union to which we would only like to add some short comments.

Portugal has followed with great interest the work of the Ad Hoc Committee and strongly supports the early establishment of an International Court with the task of determining the international responsibility of individuals who perpetrated serious international law crimes and of applying penalties to them. We believe that this Court should have solid jurisdictional powers and that its jurisdiction should be accepted by the widest possible number of countries from all world regions...

...Finally, Portugal considers that the conditions are ripe for the establishment, without delay, of a preparatory committee with drafting powers to prepare, based on the draft of the International Law Commission, a text of a convention for the International Criminal Court. We would like to see increasing support for the speedy establishment of this institution through the adoption of a convention by a diplomatic conference to be held as soon as possible.