BRING TO JUSTICE WAR CRIMINAL NOW AND FOREVER
CONTRASTS AT THE UN FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
New York, October 31. "No Peace Without Justice" - an international Committee of citizens, mayors and parliamentarians - has promoted an international appeal to the members of the United Nations for the urgent establishment of a permanent international criminal court.
The appeal, launched by the European Commissioner Emma Bonino, recently published in the International Herald Tribune, has collected the adhesion of over 30 statesmen and opinion makers: the President of Bosnia Izetbegovich, the President of Haiti Jean Bertrand Aristid, the Presidento of Portugal Mario Soares, President Jimmy Carter, former President of the European Union Jacques Delors and many former European prime ministers, Amato, Gonzales, Barre, Schmidt, Rocard, Suarez, Tindemans, Martens, Thorn.
The international press, from The New York Time to Le Monde, support the court. The President of the 51st General Assembly of the United Nations has met a delegation of No Peace Without Justice, and will receive in November a group of parliamentarians from all over the world.
At the 51st General Assembly discussions are still going on for the convening of the Diplomatic Conference for the establishment of the International Criminal Court in 1998, favored by the majority of the countries.
The United Kingdom is reluctant. USA and China's determining statements are scheduled for today.
Text of the appeal
BRING TO JUSTICE WAR CRIMINAL NOW AND FOREVER
We, the undersigned,
considering the rising of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated throughout the world that remain unpunished
LAUNCH A SOLEMN APPEAL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS
-to do their utmost to arrest and bring to justice indicted war criminals in former Yugoslavia and Rwanda;
- to renew the mandate of the Preparatory Committee and to convene the founding plenipotentiary Conference for the establishment of the International Criminal Court by end of 1998.
