4 October 2001, New York

For Immediate Release PRESS RELEASE

For more information please contact:
Mr. William R. Pace +1 917-214-5535
or Ms. Jayne Stoyles +1 212-687-2176

UK RATIFIES ICC TREATY AS US CONSIDERS ANTI-ICC LEGISLATION

UNITED NATIONS, October 4, 2001 - The United Kingdom deposited its
ratification of the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court on
Thursday, October 4, the third country to do s o in three days. Speaking
at the UN, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said, "I am delighted to deposit the
UK's ratification of the ICC today, making it the 42nd State Party to the
Rome Statute for the ICC." He added, "We now want to see the 60 necessary
ratifications deposited before the end of this General Assembly session."

William R. Pace, Convenor of the over 1000-member NGO Coalition for the ICC
stated, "The importance of the ratification by the United Kingdom
cannot be over-emphasized. This great nation's decision ensures that the
International Criminal Court will come into existence in 2002. The UK
recognizes the ICC will be a powerful international legal tool in the fight
against global terrorism."

This week, the American Servicemembers' Protection Act (ASPA), a piece of
extreme anti-ICC legislation, was re-introduced in Congress by Senator
Jesse Helms (R-NC). It threatens to cut off military aid to countries that
ratify the ICC treaty and would prohibit US cooperation even in a case of
international terrorism. When asked about the UK government's response to
ASPA, Ambassador Greenstock remarked, "The US is one of the UK's strongest
allies, and the UK hopes the US will continue working with us in creating a
permanent ICC. It is important to have the US in the ICC process and I hope
the US will ratify the ICC Statute as soon as possible." Mr. Pace
commented, "The UK ratification could not be a more timely or clear
refutation of USA Congressional extremists' efforts to pass ASPA, at the
same time the USA is trying to build a global coalition against terrorism."

A European delegate at the United Nations remarked yesterday that U.S.
opposition to the ICC can "potentially alienate allies, thereby eroding
support for the global coalition against terrorism." Another delegate said
that legislation "imposing military and legal reprisals is unprecedented
and unacceptable." Heather Hamilton, of the American Coalition for the ICC
(AMICC) added, "The administration should realize that supporting
legislation penalizing countries that join an international law enforcement
mechanism is not the way to strengthen international efforts to bring
terrorists to justice."

Leading human rights experts, including Mary Robinson, UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, have asserted that once the ICC is created it
would have jurisdiction over acts such as those committed on September 11.

The Coalition for the International Criminal Court was formed in 1995 to
advocate for the creation of a fair, effective and independent
International Criminal Court. It brings together a broad-based network of
over 1000 non-governmental organizations and international law experts from
every region of the world to foster awareness of and support for the Court.

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Tunga Ganbold
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Telephone +1 212 687 2176 Faxsimile +1 212 599 1332
Email [email protected]
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