ICC - French Minister of Justice visits the International Criminal Court

French Minister of Justice visits the International Criminal Court

ICC-CPI-20060331-129

Last Friday, on 31 March 2006, The French Minister of Justice, Mr Pascal Clément, officially visited the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The Minister of Justice was accompanied by the French Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mr Jean-Michel Gaussot. During his visit HE Mr Clément met with the President of the Court, Judge Philippe Kirsch; the Prosecutor, Mr Luis Moreno Ocampo; and with the Registrar, Mr Bruno Cathala respectively. 

The meeting between the French Minister of Justice and President Kirsch focused on the activities of the International Criminal Court and on the importance of State Parties cooperation in Court activities. The Minister also met with the Prosecutor of the Court with whom he discussed in particular French cooperation with the Office of the Prosecutor in countries in which investigations are underway as well as the broader issue of supporting national judicial systems. The meeting with the Registrar touched on the issues of Court administration, victims, witness protection and evidence management. All three senior court officials then thanked France for supporting the Court and in particular its activities in the situations referred to it. 

In 2005, France again contributed 150,000 euros to the Victims Trust Fund. Recently, the country worked with the Court on the transfer of Mr Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, who was arrested in Kinshasa and surrendered to the Court on 17 March 2006 pursuant to the arrest warrant issued by Pre-Trial Chamber I.

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For further information, please contact the spokesperson of the ICC, Mr Ernest Sagaga on Tel. +31 (0)70 515 8762 / Mob. +31 (0)6 4644 8710.