SC/8743
14 June 2006
Security Council Extends Term for 11 Rwanda Tribunal Judges, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 1684 (2006)
NEW YORK, 13 June (UN Headquarters) -- With the mandate of 11 permanent judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda set to expire in May 2007, but with trials expected to continue well beyond that time, the Security Council today extended the term of office for those officials until the end of 2008, the deadline for the completion of all the Tribunal's proceedings.
Noting the Secretary-General's call for "early action in order to provide the Tribunal with the continuity, stability and certainty necessary for the efficient and effective planning of trials", the Council extended, until 31 December 2008, the terms of office of the following Tribunal judges: Charles Michael Dennis Byron (Saint Kitts and Nevis); Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka); Sergei Aleckseievich Egorov (Russian Federation); Mehmet Güney (Turkey); Khalida Rachid Khan (Pakistan); Erik Møse (Norway); Arlete Ramaroson (Madagascar); Jai Ram Reddy (Fiji); William Hussein Sekule (United Republic of Tanzania); Andrésa Vaz (Senegal); and Inés Mónica Weinberg de Roca (Argentina).
In letter dated 3 May 2006 to the Presidents of both the General Assembly and the Security Council (document A/60/878-S/2006/349), the Secretary-General transmitted a letter from Tribunal President Erik Møse requesting the extension. The letter noted that all single-accused trials currently in progress are due to be completed between May 2006 and May 2007. New trials will commence as soon as judges and courtroom space become available and will continue well beyond May 2007.
So, while the Tribunal is currently on schedule to meet the 2008 deadline in its Completion Strategy -- set out in Council resolution 1503 (2003) -- the terms of office of the 11 judges would expire at a time when virtually all of them would be engaged in trials. And, according to the letter, should certain judges not be re-elected in the 2007 ballot envisaged by the Tribunal's statute, delays would likely occur in some trials, and others would have to restart entirely, with new judges, resulting in an overall loss of time that would make it impossible for the Tribunal to respect the deadline.
The meeting began at 10:10 a.m. and ended at 10:12 a.m.
Security Council Resolution
The full text of resolution 1684 (2006) reads as follows:
"The Security Council,
"Recalling its resolutions 955 (1994) of 8 November 1994, 1165 (1998) of 30 April 1998, 1329 (2000) of 30 November 2000, 1411 (2002) of 17 May 2002, 1431 (2002) of 14 August 2002, 1449 (2002) of 13 December 2002, 1503 (2003) of 28 August 2003 and 1534 (2004) of 26 March 2004, "Recalling that on 31 January 2003 the General Assembly by decision 57/414A and in accordance with Article 12 bis, paragraph 1 (b) of the Statute of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, as amended, elected from a list of candidates approved by resolution 1449 (2002) of 13 December 2002, the following 11 judges to a four-year term of office at the International Tribunal beginning on 25 May 2003 and to end on 24 May 2007: Mr. Mansoor Ahmed (Pakistan); Mr. Sergei Aleckseievich Egorov (Russian Federation); Mr. Asoka Zoysa Gunawardana (Sri Lanka); Mr. Mehmet Güney (Turkey); Mr. Erik Møse (Norway); Ms. Arlete Ramaroson (Madagascar); Mr. Jai Ram Reddy (Fiji); Mr. William Hussein Sekule (United Republic of Tanzania); Ms. Andrésa Vaz (Senegal); Ms. Inés Mónica Weinberg de Roca (Argentina) and Mr. Lloyd George Williams (Saint Kitts and Nevis),
"Recalling that when Mr. Mansoor Ahmed resigned, the Secretary-General, after consultations with the Security Council and the General Assembly and in accordance with Article 12 bis, paragraph 2 of the Tribunal's Statute, appointed Ms. Khalida Rachid Khan of Pakistan effective as of 7 July 2003, for the remainder of Judge Ahmed's term of office,
"Recalling that when Mr. Lloyd George Williams resigned, the Secretary-General after consultations with the Security Council and the General Assembly and in accordance with Article 12 bis, paragraph 2 of the Tribunal's Statute, appointed Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron of Saint Kitts and Nevis effective as of 8 April 2004 for the remainder of Mr. Williams' term of office,
"Recalling that when Mr. Asoka Zoysa Gunawardana resigned, the Secretary-General, after consultations with the Security Council and the General Assembly and in accordance with Article 12 bis, paragraph 2 of the Tribunal's Statute, appointed Mr. Asoka de Silva of Sri Lanka effective as of 2 August 2004 for the remainder of Mr. Gunawardana's term of office,
"Taking note of the letter to the President of the Security Council from the Secretary-General dated 3 May 2006,
"Decides in response to the request by the Secretary-General and notwithstanding the provisions of Article 12 (bis), of the Statute of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, to extend the term of office of the following permanent judges of the International Tribunal at the Tribunal until 31 December 2008:
-- Mr. Charles Michael Dennis Byron (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
-- Mr. Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka)
-- Mr. Sergei Aleckseievich Egorov (Russian Federation)
-- Mr. Mehmet Güney (Turkey)
-- Ms. Khalida Rachid Khan (Pakistan)
-- Mr. Erik Møse (Norway)
-- Ms. Arlete Ramaroson (Madagascar)
-- Mr. Jai Ram Reddy (Fiji)
-- Mr. William Hussein Sekule (United Republic of Tanzania)
-- Ms. Andrésa Vaz (Senegal)
-- Ms. Inés Mónica Weinberg de Roca (Argentina)
"Requests States to continue to make every effort to ensure that their nationals who serve as permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda remain available to serve in their positions until 31 December 2008."
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