March 3, 1999

To the attention of

Mr. Igor IVANOV,

Minister of Foreign Affairs

of Russian Federation

PARLIAMENTARIAN INTERPELLATION

On the creation of the International

Criminal Court

Dear Minister:

On July 18, 1998 in Rome on the Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiary Representatives, where the delegation of Russian Federation has actively taken part, has been adopted the Statute of the International Criminal Court, the first sovranational permanent judicial body in the history of mankind aimed at prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide.

The International Criminal Court would be able to begin its work only after certain number of signatories and ratifications of its Statute. Currently it is signed by 73 states, among them there are 3 member states of Commonwealth of Independent States (Georgia, Tadjikistan, Kyrgyzstan).

I would ask you to inform, in which terms the signing of the Statute by Russian Federation as well as presentation of the federal draft law on ratification of the ICC Statute to the State Duma.

I would also like to request the information on position of Russian Federation regarding the works of the Preparatory Commission mandated to finalize the annex to the ICC Statute, and to clarify, whether Russian Federation is committed to conclude the negotiations on the Rules of Procedures and the Elements of Crimes by the forth session of the PrepCom ?

Yours Sincerely,

V.BORSCEV