http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/asp/press%20releases/press%20releases%202010/Pages/revi... - 0 views
www.icc-cpi.int/...0concludes%20in%20kampala.aspx
war & peace Rome-Statute wars of aggression war-crimes
![](/images/link.gif)
-
On 11 June 2010, the Review Conference of the Rome Statute concluded in Kampala, Uganda, after meeting for two weeks. Around 4600 representatives of States, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations attended the Conference.
-
The Conference adopted a resolution by which it amended the Rome Statute so as to include a definition of the crime of aggression and the conditions under which the Court could exercise jurisdiction with respect to the crime. The actual exercise of jurisdiction is subject to a decision to be taken after 1 January 2017 by the same majority of States Parties as is required for the adoption of an amendment to the Statute. The Conference based the definition of the crime of aggression on United Nations General Assembly resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 14 December 1974, and in this context agreed to qualify as aggression, a crime committed by a political or military leader which, by its character, gravity and scale constituted a manifest violation of the Charter. As regards the Court’s exercise of jurisdiction, the Conference agreed that a situation in which an act of aggression appeared to have occurred could be referred to the Court by the Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, irrespective as to whether it involved States Parties or non-States Parties.
-
Moreover, while acknowledging the Security Council’s role in determining the existence of an act of aggression, the Conference agreed to authorize the Prosecutor, in the absence of such determination, to initiate an investigation on his own initiative or upon request from a State Party. In order to do so, however, the Prosecutor would have to obtain prior authorization from the Pre-Trial Division of the Court. Also, under these circumstances, the Court would not have jurisdiction in respect to crimes of aggression committed on the territory of non-States Parties or by their nationals or with regard to States Parties that had declared that they did not accept the Court’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.
-
WIth the caveat that these measures must stiil be approved by the signatories to the Rome Convention, the addition of aggression to the list of war crimes that the International Criminal Court takes jurisdiction over will drastically contract the number of nations that high officials who have launched wars of aggression will dare travel to. The Barack Obamas, George W. Bushes, Tony Blairs, and Benyamin Netanyahus of the world will have to plan their travel much more selectively. The measure is expected to be adopted.