Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-18-Speech-4-173"
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"en.20010118.9.4-173"2
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"Mr President, this joint motion for a resolution on the ratification of the Rome Treaty to establish the permanent International Criminal Court comes at an opportune moment. Only yesterday in this House we debated our priorities for the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The Swedish prime minister once again reiterated the importance of human rights during the Swedish Presidency. The discussion this afternoon is yet another vivid reminder of injustices around the world. Therefore it must follow, and I hope the House will agree, that if we are serious about the human rights of men, women and children, then we must have a permanent International Criminal Court to prosecute those who carry out or commission crimes against humanity. We need a criminal court with international jurisdiction, which can independently judge those accused of such atrocities. Only with complete determination to implement the Rome Treaty will we be able to end the impunity of the perpetrators of these crimes and contribute to the deterrence and prevention of such crimes in the future.
As we have heard, 139 governments have signed the Rome Treaty yet sadly only 27 have ratified it. Sixty such ratifications are needed for the Treaty to enter into force and for the Court to be set up. Therefore I believe it is imperative that the Member States set an example. Already Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Germany, Austria and Finland have notably and honourably ratified the Treaty. It is now time for the remaining Member States of the Union to follow suit.
Cynicism is an easy option and I will not indulge in it. I believe we should welcome the signing of the Treaty on 31 December by the United States of America and we should also welcome the Yugoslav Federation signing the Treaty on 19 December 2000. We must now call upon those parliaments to ratify the Treaty.
Nonetheless, at the same time we must urge all states to continue to support the work of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and former Yugoslavia.
History teaches us that we must never forget. Therefore, look back across the last millennium. Look now across the world as it is and remember that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
Future generations will never forgive us if we turn our minds away from those who have suffered such terrifying atrocities and who continue to suffer as I speak. Words are not enough. The time for action is now. Sign the Rome Treaty on the ICC and thereby signal our commitment and our challenge to the rest of the world. As co-author I urge the House and the Council to support this motion."@en1
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