| Date | 28 June 2006 |
|---|
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Agenda item 161
Extension of the term of the permanent judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994
Letter dated 3 May 2006 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the General Assembly (A/60/878)
Letter dated 13 June 2006 from the President of the Security Council addressed to the President of the General Assembly (A/60/906)
The President
In document A/60/878, the Secretary-General transmitted a letter dated 21 March 2006 from Judge Erik Mřse, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In his letter, the President of the Tribunal recalls that the term of office of the permanent judges of the Tribunal will come to an end on 24 May 2007 and that there are a number of multi-accused trials that are currently under way before the Tribunal that are likely to continue beyond that date.
All single-accused trials currently in progress are due to be completed between May 2006 and May 2007. The President of the Tribunal is of the view that it would not be a viable option to delay the commencement of new trials until after the newly elected judges assume their duties on 25 May 2007. This means that most if not all of the permanent judges will be engaged in trials when their four-year term expires on 24 May 2007. Should certain judges not be re-elected, particular cases might have to resume de novo with new judges.
Consequently, in order to ensure continuity and the ability of the Tribunal to implement its completion strategy, as set out in Security Council resolution 1503 (2003) of 28 August 2003, and complete all trials by 2008, the President of the Tribunal requested that the current term of office of the permanent judges of the Tribunal be extended until 31 December 2008. As the statute of the Tribunal does not provide for extending the term of office of the permanent judges, approval of the Security Council, as the parent organ of the Tribunal, and of the General Assembly, as the organ that elects its judges, would be needed in order to extend the term of office of the permanent judges until 31 December 2008. The Secretary-General therefore requests that the General Assembly and the Security Council grant such approval.
In document A/60/906, the President of the Security Council transmits to the President of the General Assembly the text of Security Council resolution 1684 (2006) of 13 June 2006, whereby the Council, inter alia,
"Decides in response to the request by the Secretary-General and notwithstanding the provisions of Article 12 (bis), of the Statute of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, to extend the term of office of the following permanent judges of the International Tribunal at the Tribunal until 31 December 2008:
- Mr. Charles Michael Dennis Byron (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
- Mr. Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka)
- Mr. Sergei Aleckseievich Egorov (Russian Federation)
- Mr. Mehmet Güney (Turkey)
- Ms. Khalida Rachid Khan (Pakistan)
- Mr. Erik Mřse (Norway)
- Ms. Arlete Ramaroson (Madagascar)
- Mr. Jai Ram Reddy (Fiji)
- Mr. William Hussein Sekule (United Republic of Tanzania)
- Ms. Andrésa Vaz (Senegal)
- Ms. Inés Mónica Weinberg de Roca (Argentina)
"Requests States to continue to make every effort to ensure that their nationals who serve as permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda remain available to serve in their positions until 31 December 2008."
If there is no objection, I propose that the Assembly decide to endorse this recommendation of the Secretary-General, which was endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 1684 (2006) of 13 June 2006.
The President
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 161?
