Tenth Congress of the Republic of The Philippines

Second Regular Session

Resolution presented by Senator Heherson T. Alvarez

RESOLUTION URGING THE SENATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TO SUPPORT THE PETITION FOR THE CONVENING OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF PLENIPOTENTIARY TO FINALIZE AND ADOPT A CONVENTION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

WHEREAS, the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 47/33 of 25 November 1992, requested the International Law Commission to undertake the elaboration of a draft statute for an international criminal court;

WHEREAS, the International Law Commission adopted a draft statute for an international criminal court at its forty-sixth session and recommended that an international conference of plenipotentiaries be convened to study the draft statute and to conclude a convention on the establishment of an international criminal court;

WHEREAS, the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 49/53 of 9 December 1994, established an ad hoc committee open to all States Members of the United Nations or member of specialized agencies that would review the major substantitve and administrative issues arising out of the draft statute prepared by the International Law Commission, and consider arrangements for the convening of an international conference of plenipotentiaries;

WHEREAS, although the Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court had made considerable progress during its sessions on the review of the major substantive and administrative issues arising out of the draft statute, States participating in the Committee still had different wiews on major substantive and administrative issues arising out of the draft statute and therefore, required further discussions for reaching consensus on the above issues and for the preparation of a widely acceptable consolidated text of convention for an international criminal court;

WHEREAS, upon the recommandation of the Ad Hoc Committee and in recognition of the interest of the international community in the establishment of an international criminal court, the General Assembly, on 11 December 1995, established a preparatory committee open to all States Member of the United Nations or members of specialized agencies or of the International Atomic Energy Agency, for the abovementioned purposes and as a next step towards consideration by a conference of plenipotentiaries;

WHEREAS, the Preparatory Committee met from 25 March to 12 April and from 12 to 30 August 1996 and submitted its report to the General Assembly at the beginning of its fifty-first session;

WHEREAS, States Members that have participated in the preparation, among them the government of the Philippines, have signed a petition in support of the convening of an international conference of plenipotentiaries to finalize and adopt a convention on the establishment of an international criminal court;

NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved, to urge the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines to support the petition for the convening of an international conference of plenipotentiaries to finalize and adopt a convention on the establishment of an international criminal court.

Adopted

transmited by Senator Hererson T. Alvarez