The UK remains a steadfast supporter of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals’ work: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Legal Adviser Colin McIntyre at the UN Security Council meeting on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
Let me begin by thanking President Gatti Santana and Prosecutor Brammertz for their latest reports and for their briefings to the Council today.
I also express our gratitude to the staff of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals for their continued dedication to international criminal justice. Let me also welcome the distinguished representatives of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda and Croatia to today’s Council meeting.
Mr President, I would like to make three points today.
First, we note the important work which the Mechanism continues to perform in the exercise of its residual functions. This includes the recent completion of the review proceedings in the Ntakirutimana case and the referral of the contempt case concerning Mr Ngirabatware to national authorities.
The completion of the final searches for the names of missing persons also represents an important milestone in the work of the Mechanism.
We further welcome the smooth handover of functions to the Rwandan authorities following the recent closure of the Kigali field office.
Second, we welcome the cooperation by many Member States and commend the Office of the Prosecutor’s work to support the transfer of investigative files to Croatia and Serbia.
We echo the Office of the Prosecutor’s call for all relevant authorities to rededicate themselves to ensuring effective cooperation.
We call once again on Serbia to engage constructively with the Mechanism and to ensure the arrest and transfer of Petar Jojic and Vjerica Radeta to the Mechanism.
Third, we welcome the Mechanism’s ongoing work to realise the Security Council’s vision of a small, temporary and efficient institution.
We look forward to receiving the upcoming reports from the Secretary-General on the future approach to archives and on options for the transfer of other functions including the supervision of sentence enforcement and the provision of assistance to national jurisdictions on prosecutions.
These reports will play an important role in shaping the future of the Mechanism. In parallel, we are pleased that the President has re-convened the Mechanism’s cross-organ working group in order to undertake work on future planning in this regard.
To conclude, Mr President, the UK remains a steadfast supporter of the Mechanism’s work and of its role in delivering justice.