Report of the International Court of Justice – GA debate – Press release (excerpts)

Plenary

29^th & 30^th Meetings (AM & PM)

PRESIDENTS OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT, INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE,

PRESENT ANNUAL REPORTS TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

International Court Chief Says Law Does Not Replace Politics,

Economics, but without It, ‘We Cannot Construct Anything That Will Last’

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Background

The General Assembly met today to consider the annual reports of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

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Statements on the International Court of Justice

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DIRE TLADI ( South Africa) …

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He was also pleased to note that States did not just refer to the Court to resolve minor political matters and hoped their confidence in it would grow and enforce the rule of law internationally.  The Court’s advisory role in finding peaceful solutions in line with the Charter could not be underestimated, he said, warning that although those were not binding, failure to comply with them would contravene the Court’s ruling.  One such example was the advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which continued to be ignored, he said.

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NAMIRA NABIL NEGM (Egypt) opened by saying that since its establishment, the Court strengthened important legal principles and rules through its advisory opinions on the Legality of the Use or Threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons and the Legal Implications of the Establishment of the Separation Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and other decisions on territorial or maritime border disputes, which contributed to the settlement of several disputes around the world.  Egypt emphasized the need to strengthen the capacity of States and the United Nations organs and specialized agencies, and added that it was necessary to monitor the implementation of the Court’s decisions and to evaluate international interaction with the moral and legal values of its advisory opinions.  This could take place through mechanisms within the United Nations for that purpose.

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ABDALMAHMOOD ABDALHALEEM MOHAMAD ( Sudan) …

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Highlighting positive indicators, he said the growing number of cases before the Court had strengthened the world’s confidence in it.  The Assembly’s 2005 World Summit had acknowledged growing challenges facing the international community, and that the United Nations should respond in commensurate fashion, particularly by enhancing the Court’s capabilities and capacities.  Also, States should accept its jurisdiction.  “Justice is indivisible and cannot be subject to compromise,” he said.

In that regard, he recalled the wall being built by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, whose presence challenged international justice.  The Court should protect the basic rule of law in international agreements.  …

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For information media • not an official record