Oct. 28, 1996

Statement by H.E. Mr. Robert R. Fowler

Mr. Chairman,

In the view of the Canadian Government, the importance of the establishment of a permanent international criminal court cannot be overestimated. We have reached an Historic juncture at which world public opinion is looking to the United Nations to bring into reality an ideal that it has had before it since the end of the Second World War. It was that war that brought home to the world body the reality of the need for an international criminal tribunal. Unfortunately, events have reinforced that need in the present day. If the momentum behind this initiative is lost, the opportunity to establish the Court may not come again in the life-time of most people in this room. That is why my government believes that a Diplomatic Conference to adopted the Statute of the Court should be convened as soon as possible. We would have liked to have seen that happen in 1997 and that was the objective the Canadian delegation, and many others. sought to achieve at the last session of the Prep Com. We believe that the target d

ate of 1998 represents an undue delay but we recognize that some delegations consider that length of time will be necessary to resolve the many difficult issues before the Prep Com. Certainly by 1998, there will be no excuse for not having settled most of the outstanding issues. In this regard, my delegation welcomes the renewed offer of the Government of Italy to host the Diplomatic Conference. We agree with the suggestion made yesterday by the distinguished representative of Italy that June of 1998 would be a suitable date for the Conference. [...]