§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on and what is his policy regarding the establishment of an international criminal court. [13631]
§ Sir Nicholas BonsorWe have received a wide range of representations on this subject.
Following the ad hoc committee meetings to discuss this issue, a preparatory committee has been set up to undertake work in March and in August on a draft statute for an international criminal court. We have made it clear that our support for the establishment of a court is dependent, among other things, on its being a court of last resort for certain serious crimes where states are unable or unwilling to act and also on its being generally accepted by the international community.
The final decision as to whether to become party to the statute establishing such a court will only be taken once we know what the statute will look like.