Presentation of Assessments by the Presidents and Prosecutors of International Criminal Tribunals

for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda in Pursuance of Security Council Resolution 1534 (2004)

Statement by Mr.Masood Khalid, Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations (29 June 2004)

Mr. President,

We also join the other delegations in expressing our deepest condolences to all the bereaved families over the tragic loss of human life in a helicopter crash in Sierra Leone. We understand that on board were also Pakistani peacekeepers who died in the accident. We thank the Council members who have expressed their grief and sorrow over this tragic loss and will be conveying these sentiments to Islamabad.

  1. Pakistan attaches great importance to the role played by International Tribunals set up by the UN to prosecute crimes against humanity under the Genocide Conventions and International humanitarian law. The cornerstone of our policy is to promote respect for and compliance with International law.

  2. Pakistan attaches great importance to the role played by International Tribunals set up by the UN to prosecute crimes against humanity under the Genocide Conventions and International humanitarian law. The cornerstone of our policy is to promote respect for and compliance with International law.

  3. We thank the Presidents and Prosecutors of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda for their written assessments and briefings today to the Security Council in pursuance of resolution 1534 (2004).

  4. We appreciate the efforts of the two Tribunals in pursuance of the Completion Strategy as reiterated in resolution 1534 (2004). We have taken note of the difficulties the two Tribunals are facing currently and how that might affect the completion strategy.

  5. Pakistan stands ready to contributing to the efforts of the two Tribunals to fulfill their Completion Strategies. We also believe there is a need for all states to cooperate fully with the two Tribunals.

  6. We are heartened to note the statement by the Prosecutor for ICTY that the completion of the investigation of the remaining unindicted, high-level targets will be reached as planned by the end of this year. We are also pleased to know that the I CTR is on schedule.

  7. We understand that the cases at the ad hoc Tribunals are legally and factually very complex. We have also noted the efforts of the Tribunals to address such complexities.

  8. I would like to ask a question from the President of ICTR as to how would the arrest of 15 at large indictees and 16 at large suspects affect the completion strategy if some of those at large are not arrested soon or are arrested after 2010.

I thank you, Mr. President.