Intervención Secretario Ariel Gonzalez Serafini

17 de noviembre

Mr. Chairman,

I deliver this statement on behalf of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and my own country, Argentina.

The International Criminal Court is the first permanent tribunal set out to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern of the international community as a whole. Indeed, it is an important achievement of the international community towards a rules-based world order. As an instrument for ensuring that those accused before it, in accordance with the principle of complementarity, are judged with fairness and full respect for their rights, the ICC is a vehicle for justice and peace.

The role of the ICC to protect children affected by armed conflict and to end impunity on crimes committed against children is well established in several provisions of the Rome Statute, in particular articles 6, 7, 8, 36, 42, 54 and 68.

In light of these considerations, our countries understand that the language of OP13 of the resolution relating to the ICC, is not only factually correct, but also thematically relevant, meriting, thus, to be kept in its integrity as part of the agreed text, as it has been the case for several years now.

For these reasons, our countries will vote against the amendment proposed for OP13 of this draft resolution, and encourage other delegations to do the same.

 

I thank you.