International Criminal Court Told To Ready For Operations By Summer 2002
NEW YORK, September 26, 2001 (LSN.ca) – The Preparatory Committee for the International Criminal Court (ICC) was addressed yesterday by Jozias van Aartsen, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands. Aartsen told the committee that preparations in the Netherlands, where the ICC is to be located, are progressing rapidly to ensure that the Court could begin operations from its very first day, which he said could be as early as the summer of 2002.
Aartsen unabashedly used the tragedy of the terrorist attacks to promote the ICC, going so far as to use language reminiscent of the “new world order” by calling for an “international legal order”. Referring to the attacks he said, “We emerge, more convinced than ever of the need to strengthen the international legal order and the fight against universal crimes. Where better to begin our renewed effort than in that same city of New York?” A UN report on the meeting reveals that he said, “More than ever, the importance of the ICC was clear to all. Universal crimes demanded a universal answer.”
Aartsen noted that the 30,000 square metres building which would house the ICC was expected to be finished by 2007. However, he said, interim premises would be available from the first day of the Court’s existence.
See the UN report on the proceedings: https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/l2985.doc.htm