Security Council meeting 5690

The President

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, in which they request to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the consideration of the item, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure.

The President

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council's prior consultations, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend invitations under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Justice George Gelaga King, President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and Mr. Stephen Rapp, Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

It is so decided.

I invite Justice King and Mr. Rapp to take seats at the Council table.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.

I wish to draw the attention of the members to photocopies of a future document (S/2007/338), containing a letter dated 7 June 2007 from the representative of Canada, transmitting, in that State's capacity as Chair of the Management Committee of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Court's completion strategy, a summary of the completion strategy and a summary of the Court's completion budget.

I would like to welcome the presence of the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, at this meeting.

At this meeting, the Security Council will hear briefings by the President and the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

I now give the floor to Justice George Gelaga King, President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Justice King

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the Security Council for the decision to hold a debate on the Special Court for Sierra Leone. It is a great honour for me, as President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, to have this opportunity to brief Council members on the achievements of the Court and the challenges facing it.

This is a crucial stage in the life of the Special Court. While the Court is undertaking an unprecedented level of judicial activity, it is already beginning to wind down its overall operations in Freetown.

In my remarks, I will update the Council on the status of the legal proceedings at the Special Court and its completion strategy. I will then talk about the impact of the Court on Sierra Leone and its efforts to leave a lasting legacy. Finally, I will describe areas where support of the international community is required to ensure that the Court successfully concludes its mandate.

Four trials of nine individuals are currently before the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Three of these trials are taking place in Freetown, and one -- the trial of Mr. Charles Taylor, ex-President of the Republic of Liberia -- is being held in The Hague. The trials of alleged members of the Civil Defense Forces (CDF) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) are before Trial Chamber I. The CDF trial has concluded, and a judgement is expected in July 2007. In the RUF trial, the defense is currently presenting its case. The trials of alleged members of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and of Mr. Charles Taylor are before Trial Chamber II. In the AFRC trial, a judgement is expected on 20 June. The trial of Mr. Taylor opened with the Prosecutor's statement on Monday, 4 June, in The Hague.

According to the updated completion strategy, which was distributed to the members of the Council, the Special Court for Sierra Leone will conclude all judicial activity in Freetown and in The Hague by the end of 2009.

As I have already indicated, two of the trials being conducted in Freetown -- the AFRC and the CDF trials -- are now concluded and judgements will be delivered in the coming weeks. A third trial, the RUF trial, is scheduled to conclude by December 2007, and a judgement is expected by June 2008. Once a judgement has been delivered in the RUF trial, Trial Chamber I will have concluded its assignments and become functus officio.

With regard to the trial of Mr. Taylor, the projection is that trial proceedings will last until November 2008 and that a judgement on the merits and, if applicable, on sentencing will be issued in June 2009.

Possible appeals may start in Freetown in July 2008. Any appeals proceedings are expected to last approximately six months for each case and to be concluded in the ARFC, CDF and RUF cases by December 2008. It is expected that the Appeals Chamber will complete a possible appeal in the Taylor case by December 2009.

One indictee, Mr. Johnny Paul Koroma, is still at large. If he is apprehended between now and the completion date of December 2009, the completion strategy and the budget of the Court will have to be revisited.

Mr. President, while it is never possible to fully predict the duration of legal proceedings, let me reassure you of the Special Court's commitment to achieving the milestones set forth in the completion strategy and to continuing to review ways to increase efficiency.

The importance of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, however, goes beyond the completion of its legal proceedings. As President of the Special Court and as a Sierra Leonean, I hold the firm belief that the establishment of the Court represents a major contribution to long-term peace and security in Sierra Leone and the subregion. The Court has contributed greatly to the efforts being made in Sierra Leone to resurrect the rule of law and to end impunity.

The Special Court has made its trials and other activities a part of Sierra Leone's national discourse and heritage. The Outreach Section of the Court, through radio programmes, video screenings, town hall meetings and training sessions, has had great success in engaging all sectors of Sierra Leone society. The Outreach Section is now taking steps to ensure that although the trial of Mr. Taylor is taking place in The Hague, the whole of the trial process will be brought to everyone in Sierra Leone and will be made accessible throughout the West African region, particularly in Liberia and beyond.

In addition, it should come as no surprise that, as the Court approaches the end of its mandate, legacy issues are one of its top priorities. The Court is continuing to transfer expertise to Sierra Leoneans through a number of programmes, including training on courtroom interpretation, witness protection and detention standards. The Special Court is also exploring ways to ensure that its buildings, archives and records will be preserved for Sierra Leone's children's children. Potential uses of the Court's physical site after completion of its mandate are being explored in conjunction with the Government of Sierra Leone.

The Special Court has benefited on numerous occasions from the support of the Security Council. I would like to express particular gratitude for the Council's adoption of resolution 1688 (2006), which noted my intention to authorize Trial Chamber II to exercise its functions away from the seat of the Special Court and requested all States to cooperate in the transfer of Mr. Charles Taylor to the Netherlands, and its adoption of resolution 1626 (2005), which extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia to include the protection of the Court's premises by a contingent of Mongolian troops.

To complete its mandate, the Special Court continues to require the support of the Security Council and all Member States. In this regard, I wish to make three appeals.

First, the Special Court requires secure funding. The Court has recently finalized a completion budget that outlines its financial requirements from 1 July 2007 to 31 December 2009. The total budget amount is $89 million. Available funds will be exhausted by November 2007. That is of grave and imminent concern. If the Special Court is to adhere to its completion strategy, it is imperative and vital that there be adequate financial support.

Secondly, the Court seeks the cooperation of the international community in negotiating and concluding additional agreements for the enforcement of potential sentences and the relocation of witnesses. Sufficient agreements must be in place as soon as possible to avoid delays in the completion of the work of the Court.

Thirdly, I encourage States to support the Court's legacy projects and its consideration of relevant residual issues.

Let me conclude by once again expressing my gratitude to the Security Council and the Deputy Secretary-General for the support that the Special Court has received from the United Nations since its inception. I would be remiss in my duty if I failed to record a special word of thanks to the Management Committee of the Special Court and the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs for the invaluable help and advice the Special Court has received from them at all times.

The President

I give the floor to Mr. Stephen Rapp, Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Mr. Rapp

In beginning my presentation, I would like to reiterate the comments made by President King and thank the Council for its decision to convene this briefing on the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

I would also like to thank the Security Council for its invaluable role in strengthening peace and security in Sierra Leone and the West African region and for the assistance provided to the Special Court in its pursuit of justice.

As members are well aware, this past Monday saw the commencement of the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor. His trial marks a watershed event for international justice, and the Security Council deserves tremendous credit for helping to make that happen. In 2005, the Council adopted resolution 1638 (2005), which included in the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) the apprehension, detention and transfer of Charles Taylor to the Special Court in the event of his return to Liberia. In March 2006, that resolution made possible Taylor's handover to the Special Court in Freetown after he was arrested attempting to cross the border from Nigeria into Cameroon and had been brought to Liberia. Then, in June 2006, the Council adopted resolution 1688 (2006), requesting that all States cooperate to effect the transfer of Charles Taylor to the Netherlands for the purpose of his trial by the Special Court. That endeavour stands as a remarkable example of collaboration by the international community. In addition, in March 2007 -- not very long ago -- the Council adopted resolution 1750 (2007) mandating UNMIL to provide support to the Special Court for activities conducted in Liberia with the consent of the Liberian Government.

I am therefore most grateful for this occasion to brief the Security Council in my capacity as Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone and to provide the Council with an overview of the work my Office is performing and the challenges that lie ahead.

The Special Court has a very focused jurisdiction. It is mandated to prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibility for the violations of humanitarian law committed in Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996. The Office of the Prosecutor has therefore concentrated its investigations and prosecutions on a limited number of individuals alleged to have been in a position of responsibility and/or command and to have played a major role not only in carrying out the crimes, but also in planning and implementing the campaign of terror that engulfed Sierra Leone for almost 10 years.

The prosecution has issued 13 indictments, all of which were confirmed by a justice of the Special Court. Eleven individuals have been apprehended and transferred into the Court's custody. Two of them, Foday Sankoh and Hinga Norman, died of natural causes while in detention; one was killed in Liberia before arrest; and, as President King indicated, the whereabouts of another remain unknown. Nine individuals are currently before the Court as accused persons in four trials.

The prosecution and defence concluded the presentation of evidence in the trials of Allieu Kondewa and Moinina Fofana of the Civil Defence Forces (CDF) and Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) at the end of 2006. With the trial phases of both the CDF and AFRC cases now complete, our Office is awaiting judgments and devoting its efforts to preparing for possible appeals. On 2 August 2006, the Prosecution concluded its case in the trial of Issa Hassan Sesay, Morris Kallon and Augustine Gbao of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). The defence began the presentation of its witnesses on 3 May 2007, and it is anticipated that the trial will be concluded by early 2008.

The Office of the Prosecutor has continued to conduct investigations in Sierra Leone and elsewhere in relation to the case against Charles Taylor. On 7 March 2003, the Special Court confirmed the indictment of Charles Taylor for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law. On 29 March 2006, Mr. Taylor was surrendered to the Special Court. Taking note of concerns expressed by regional leaders, the President of the Court formally requested that Taylor be tried in The Hague, in the Netherlands, by a Trial Chamber of the Special Court. On 20 June 2006, Taylor was transferred to The Hague.

Last Monday, four days ago, the case officially began in a courtroom of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. In my opening statement, I made it clear that the prosecution will seek to ensure that the trial embodies the principles of fairness and due process at all times. In the months to come, the prosecution will be calling witnesses and offering documentary evidence that, in our evaluation, will provide strong and compelling proof of Mr. Taylor's culpability in planning, instigating, ordering, aiding and abetting the crimes charged in the indictment: crimes against humanity, war crimes and, additionally, the crime of violating other provisions of international humanitarian law by conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 years into armed forces or groups, or using them to participate actively in hostilities.

The Special Court is indeed the first international criminal tribunal to charge and try individuals for the recruitment of child soldiers as a violation of international humanitarian law. In addition, the Special Court is the first international tribunal to charge forced marriage as a crime against humanity. The judgments as to those crimes that are expected 12 days from today in the AFRC case will be the first of their kind in the history of the world.

These trials are evidence of the international community's commitment to ensuring accountability for crimes as heinous and widespread as those committed in Sierra Leone. They make a clear statement that crimes such as mutilations, the chopping off of arms and legs, the sexual enslavement of women and girls, and the use of child soldiers cannot continue to go unpunished. The historic trial of Charles Taylor shows that, after the mayhem and terror that were rained upon Sierra Leone and its people, there are those in the world who are ready to uphold the law and decide that, no matter how high the position of the person responsible, there will be a day of justice.

As President King indicated, it is expected that the Court will complete its legal proceedings by December 2009. However, the actual implementation of the Court's completion plan will require continued support from all Member States.

In the course of the CDF, AFRC and RUF trials, the prosecution presented 220 witnesses. Overall, 354 have been heard by the Chambers to date. In the Taylor trial, the prosecution estimates that it will be calling 139 witnesses. Many of the witnesses who appear before the Special Court do so at great risk to their and their family's safety, demonstrating courage and determination. The Court has an obligation to protect them and to relocate high profile and vulnerable witnesses. Thus far, the Court has signed agreements for the relocation of witnesses with three countries and entered into ad hoc arrangements with two more. Additional agreements are needed to ensure that all witnesses of the Special Court receive the protection they deserve.

All of the accused before the Special Court have declared themselves to be indigent and are receiving legal assistance at the Court's expense. It is important that the Court's Registry have the capacity to conduct further investigations to ascertain the validity of those claims of indigency. The investigations require extensive cooperation from Member States to track, freeze and gain access to possible assets.

That may lead to the discovery of substantial assets that could also be made available to a national process of victim compensation. In our view of the evidence, the crimes that we are prosecuting were motivated in part by a desire to control and exploit mineral resources. Justice requires that any remaining proceeds of that plunder be made available to its victims. I know of the ongoing efforts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1521 (2003) concerning Liberia to implement the freeze of assets of Charles Taylor and his close associates in compliance with Security Council resolution 1532 (2004). The success of those efforts would open the way for compensation for victims and also send a signal to others that they cannot gain from such crimes. We urge Member States to provide all appropriate legal and technical assistance. We in the Office of the Prosecutor are ready to cooperate in any way to ensure success.

Finally, as Justice King stated, the Special Court needs funding. The Court has demonstrated itself to be a transparent and cost-effective operation. In order to provide Member States with a clear picture of the resources required until the conclusion of its work, a completion budget has been presented for each of the remaining years of its mandate, namely, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Current funds in the Special Court's accounts will be exhausted at end of October 2007. Additional funds of approximately $60 million are needed to finance the Court's operation until the completion of its mandate. The challenges facing the Special Court are serious, and I encourage all Member States to renew their support for the Court and its efforts to ensure justice for the crimes committed in Sierra Leone.

I would like to leave members with these words from our opening statement in the Taylor trial.

"The people of Sierra Leone have a saying: no matter how long the night, light will come again. For years the accused's crimes have remained in the dark. Today we start to shed light on his responsibility for the suffering of the people of Sierra Leone."

Let us continue to work together to help the people of Sierra Leone look forward to a future of light and of hope.

The President

I thank Mr. Rapp for his briefing.

I now give the floor to the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro.

The Deputy Secretary-General

It gives me great pleasure to be here today as a witness to the significant achievements of the Special Court for Sierra Leone. After listening to both the President and the Prosecutor speak about the work and goals of the Special Court, I feel humbled but, at the same time, encouraged. It was only five years ago that an 11-year conflict, characterized by indescribable brutality and the systematic use of mutilation, abduction, sexual violence and the murder of civilians, came to an end in Sierra Leone.

The first of its kind, the Special Court was established on the basis of an agreement between the United Nations and a Member State -- Sierra Leone -- at the request of the Security Council and the Government of Sierra Leone. This new hybrid model of international justice sits on the territory where the crimes were committed and therefore has the unique advantage of benefiting from both international and Sierra Leonean personnel.

The Special Court has faced numerous difficulties and challenges since it was established. However, it is clear that tremendous efforts have been made by both dedicated staff members and the people of Sierra Leone to prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996.

Like the other ad hoc Tribunals currently in existence, the Special Court prosecutes war crimes and crimes against humanity. Uniquely, however, this Court has also prosecuted all its indictees for the enlisting of children under the age of 15 to participate in hostilities. Notably, building on the jurisprudence of the ad hoc tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Special Court has confronted the tradition of impunity for gender-based crimes, prosecuting offences such as forced marriage and recognizing the unique nature of the sexual crimes perpetrated primarily against women and girl children during this conflict. For the first time, sexual slavery as a crime against humanity is being expressly prosecuted under international law.

Today the Special Court has demonstrated how it has discharged the heavy responsibility it assumed in 2002 to ensure that perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice. In so doing, the Court has contributed to the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in Sierra Leone. It is often said that one of the Special Court's greatest accomplishments is its Outreach Section. It is truly remarkable how the Section has enlisted the support of the general public in Sierra Leone and the neighbouring region. The Section effectively disseminates information about the trials before the Special Court at the grass-roots level, providing accessible information on the application of the basic values of the rule of law in the restoration of peace.

The Special Court has joined other international tribunals in offering hope to future generations -- a hope that the rule of law may prevail in the affairs of men and women of all nations and that those whose deeds offend the conscience of mankind shall not go unpunished.

On the day of the opening of the Charles Taylor trial, the Secretary-General encouraged all Member States to continue their support and contributions to the Special Court. Today, the Special Court has specifically sought the assistance of the international community through financial support. However, the Court also requires the cooperation of Member States in the enforcement of sentences, the relocation of witnesses and the subsequent residual and legacy issues that will naturally arise from its activities. I strongly reiterate those requests.

It is imperative that the international community continue to generously support the Special Court, ensuring that it has both the human and financial resources necessary to conclude its mandate. The Court constitutes an important milestone in the fight against impunity. It marks the considerable achievement of those who have worked selflessly to ensure a lasting legacy of justice and of the rule of law, of which the Sierra Leonean people, Africa and the international community at large can be proud.

The President

I thank the Deputy Secretary-General for her statement.

I shall now give the floor to members of the Council.

Ms. Pierce (United Kingdom)

Allow me also to thank the President and Prosecutor of the Special Court for their very informative briefings and for all the work they are doing to help bring justice to the people of Sierra Leone. I would also like to thank the Deputy Secretary-General for attending this meeting and for her words of support for the Court, which is a very important cause of the Council.

Less than eight years ago, military intervention was necessary to save Sierra Leone from total collapse into civil war. The progress made since has been a tribute to the efforts of the Sierra Leonean people, of the United Nations and of others. My Prime Minister, Tony Blair, paid a recent visit to Freetown. He was able to see and remark on the turnaround in Sierra Leone's fortunes over the past few years, which is truly impressive. But, as those who have spoken before me have said, there is no room for complacency. Sierra Leone is still fragile, and the upcoming elections -- the first since the departure of United Nations peacekeepers -- will be a milestone in the country's development. It is only right that the Peacebuilding Commission should continue to help Sierra Leone deal with its post-conflict future.

Against that background, the Court has an even more important role to play in Sierra Leone's recovery than the inherent good that bringing justice to the country entails. We welcome the opportunity for the Special Court to brief the Council on its work. This is a very special occasion. We are pleased that it also gives the Council an opportunity to demonstrate its support for the role that the Special Court has played in the restoration of peace and security in Sierra Leone.

It is particularly appropriate that, as other speakers have noted, this meeting is taking place during the same week as the start of the Taylor trial. It enables the Council to send a strong message that nobody is above the law and that there can be no impunity for crimes against humanity and war crimes. We are confident that the Special Court will ensure a fair and expeditious trial for Charles Taylor.

My country is a strong supporter of the Special Court, as we are a friend to Sierra Leone, and we have demonstrated that support through practical and concrete actions. We are one of the largest financial contributors to the Special Court, and last month made an additional contribution of $4 million, bringing our total contribution since 2002 to some $23 million.

We are an active member of the Special Court's Management Committee here in New York. We were pleased to be able to agree to imprison Charles Taylor if convicted, and welcomed the fact that that helped unlock the transfer of Taylor to The Hague in June 2006.

With our assistance, the BBC World Service Trust has developed a project in support of the Court's important and innovative outreach work, enabling the people of Sierra Leone and Liberia to have access to the Taylor trial.

We believe that the Special Court has set out a sound basis for its completion strategy. It remains important that the Court continue to strive for the early completion of its work in line with that strategy and, where possible, to deliver further efficiencies and budgetary savings.

Equally, it is essential that international community help ensure that the Special Court has the resources that it needs to complete its valuable work. We would therefore like to urge all Member States to respond to Justice King's call for further financial contributions and the provision of other forms of assistance in terms of sentence enforcement and witness relocation.

Finally, it is vital that the important achievements of the Special Court be preserved for the future. We urge the Court to develop its strategy on its legacy, in consultation with the Council's ongoing work in this area in respect of the international tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda.

We should like to pledge our support for the continuing work of the Court.

Ms. Wolcott Sanders (United States)

On behalf of the United States, I would like to join others in welcoming the President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Justice George Gelaga King, Chief Prosecutor Stephen Rapp, and Acting Registrar Herman von Hebel to New York and to the Security Council. Their briefings today come at a critical time in the Court's work, with proceedings in three cases still under way in Freetown and the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor having begun on 4 June in The Hague.

The United States also welcomes the participation in today's discussions of Deputy Secretary-General Migiro. Her presence underscores the importance that the United Nations and members of the international community continue to attach to the successful completion of the Special Court's work in order to bring a sense of justice to the innocent victims of the terrible crimes and atrocities that were perpetrated in Sierra Leone.

The United States has been a strong supporter of the Special Court from its inception. We played an instrumental role in drafting and negotiating resolution 1315 (2000), which called on the Secretary-General to conclude an agreement with the Government of Sierra Leone to create an independent special court to prosecute persons "who bear the greatest responsibility" (para. 3) for the serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law that were committed in the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996. The successful completion of the Court's work remains a top United States priority.

The United States commends the commitment and hard work of the many men and women, a large number of whom are Sierra Leonean, who have been working to ensure that the Special Court fulfils its mandate. The efforts of these dedicated men and women have contributed to a number of important precedents, the most notable of which was the indictment of Charles Taylor -- who was then a sitting head of State -- on charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law. Additionally, the Special Court for Sierra Leone represents the first test of a new model of international justice -- namely, an independent, international court of mixed jurisdiction and composition seated in the country where the crimes were committed. One important aspect of the Special Court's legacy will be the future of this new model of international justice. The efficient and timely completion of the Special Court's work would serve as testimony to the efficacy of the model to meet future needs. Accordingly, we urge the leadership of the Special Court to do everything in its power to address inefficiencies at the Court and to avoid unnecessary delays in the proceedings, in order to set a solid precedent for the future of this new model.

The United States has contributed $35 million to support the work of the Special Court since its creation in 2002 and intends to make additional contributions to the Court to ensure that it completes its important work. More than 40 other States have also provided funds to support the Court. The United States welcomes that broad base of past support, but notes that the Court will exhaust the funds currently available to it in a few months. The United States therefore appeals to all Governments to help guarantee, through additional contributions, that justice will be served, that impunity will not be tolerated and that peace and stability can be sustained in Sierra Leone and in the region.

Mr. Makayat-Safouesse (Congo)

I would like, on behalf of my delegation, to associate myself with the expressions of appreciation that have been addressed to the President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, as well as to the Prosecutor.

The debate that has brought us together today provides Congo with an opportunity to reaffirm its ongoing commitment to the fight against impunity. It can never be stressed enough that, in societies in conflict, such as ours, justice lies at the very heart of the objectives of national reconciliation, reconstruction and development. Hence the importance that we accord to the role being played and the work being done by the Special Court for Sierra Leone. In organizing the trial of Charles Taylor, the Court is serving the objectives of peace and security, as set out in the Charter, which form the very basis of the Security Council's mission. Furthermore, the exercise of international criminal justice will make it possible to affirm that henceforth the perpetrators of crimes and misdeeds will answer for their actions sooner or later.

It is on the basis of that conviction that my country fully supports the work of the Special Court and will, of course, provide it with all cooperation necessary to enable it to fulfil its mandate. In this respect, we would also like to associate ourselves with the appeal made here to place at the disposal of the Special Court the means it needs to carry out its mandate.

In conclusion, I would like to say that we are convinced that in the final analysis -- above and beyond the implementation of the Court's completion strategy -- the international community as a whole will benefit from a legacy that could prove very useful for the development of international criminal justice.

Mr. Lacroix (France)

My delegation too would like to thank the President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, as well as the Prosecutor, for having taken the initiative to come to the Council to brief us on the work of the Court. It is legitimate that the Security Council, which endorsed the Court's creation, should be kept informed of the progress of an institution that is essential for justice and reconciliation.

My delegation would also like to welcome the presence at this debate of Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, the Deputy Secretary-General.

Since our previous meeting devoted to the work of the Court two years ago (see S/PV.5185), a major event has occurred -- one which France welcomed and to which the Council contributed: the arrest of Charles Taylor, his transfer to The Hague in accordance with resolution 1688 (2006) and, a few days ago, the start of his trial. A former head of State answering before a criminal court for atrocities which he encouraged and supported sends a very strong message which, beyond Sierra Leone and the region, is universal in scope. It is a message of hope for the victims of the most serious crimes and for all those who are combating impunity. The phase of the presentation of evidence, which will soon begin, will be crucial in that respect. It is also a warning for those responsible for such crimes wherever they may be. Progress in international criminal justice, and in particular the creation of the International Criminal Court, must prevent such persons from escaping justice, and the Security Council must support that progress.

It is important for the Security Council to be able to follow the Court's implementation of its recently revised completion strategy. Since the Court started functioning nearly five years ago, much has been achieved. France welcomes, in particular, the fact that three trials involving the various factions that participated in the conflict which tore Sierra Leone apart have concluded or are coming to an end. France notes that work should finish by the end of 2008 in Freetown and by the end of 2009 in The Hague.

The Court recently established a budget covering the period of the remaining work. It is certainly a useful tool which will make it possible to better assess the financial effort expected of us. The transfer of the Charles Taylor trial to The Hague has naturally had a major impact on the budget, but, in our view, the security considerations that justified the transfer remain completely valid.

For France, which has been contributing to the financing of the Court for several years, it is essential that the accomplishments of the first years of work not be jeopardized by a shortage of resources. In that spirit, we will consider the appeal for new contributions. Indeed, we want the Court to be successful, not only for justice and peace in Sierra Leone and the subregion, but also for international justice.

The Special Court for Sierra Leone, which is the first mixed tribunal created with the assistance of the United Nations, has been a model that has inspired other jurisdictions, in particular the Special Tribunal for Lebanon whose establishment has just been sanctioned by the Council. It has broken new ground in several areas, in particular through its communications strategy, as well as through its coordination with the United Nations Mission in Liberia and, in the Taylor trial, its cooperation with the International Criminal Court. That progress, together with its judgements, will be part of the Court's legacy to us.

The Court has also started to reflect upon residual activities after the end of the trials. The Security Council, which is beginning its work on the legacy and residual activities of the international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda, must take those reflections into account. Having approved the creation of the Court, it must also concern itself with its legacy.

In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm here that France fully supports the fight against impunity and the work for justice being carried out by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Mrs. Zanelli (Peru)

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