Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Minister of Foreign Affairs

Oslo, 16 August 1999

Mr. Olivier Dupuis

Member of the European Parliament,

Secretary General of Transnational Radical Party,

Strasbourg, France

Dear Mr. Dupuis,

Thank you for your letter concerning the establishment of the International criminal Court.

I wish to express Norway's full and long-standing commitment to the establishment of the Court and the early entry into force of the Rome Statute. The existence of a permanent, global institution of this kind will significantly enhance deterrence against the most heinous international crimes.

Norway signed the Rome Statute on 28 August last year. I may assure you that the preparations with a view to parliamentary approval for the ratification of the Statute are given high priority. The ratification will take place as soon as the necessary internal procedures have been completed.

Yours sincerely,

Knut Vollebaek