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GSL

Thank you, Delegates of the United Nations General Assembly,

The Statute of Rome of 1998 marked the point of no return in international


law, instituting the ICC with the overarching mandate of ending impunity for
such serious crimes as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity,
which are of concern to the whole international community.

Despite all the good intentions, the ICC faces formidable obstacles. Most
significantly, influential states like the United States, China, Russia, and
Israel have refused to become members, thus hugely disregarding its claim
to universal jurisdiction and demining its legitimacy. Besides, claims of bias,
especially about its focus on African countries, also discredit the ICC from
claiming to be impartial. The lack of an implementing mechanism also
discourages the ICC in executing its warrants and investigating prisoners.

It is a view strongly held in Finland that there is an imperative to increase


support for the ICC. State cooperation and compliance with obligations
arising from the Statute are two pillars through which the following
challenges will be overcome. Criticisms must be faced constructively
together, and we have work to do to promote universal ratification of the
Rome Statute. The enlarged membership will help extend the reach of the
ICC and further entrench its authority within the international sphere.

Besides the basic support for the Rome Statute, Finland is also active in
many other international treaties and conventions that contribute toward the
upholding of international criminal justice. Our strong commitment to the
Geneva Conventions and to the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide underlines, more generally, how firmly
we believe in the protection of human rights and in bringing before justice
the perpetrators who commit such crimes. Furthermore, Finland is at the
forefront in promoting the work of the ad hoc tribunals—the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda—which, through their jurisprudence and experiences,
have been of fundamental importance for the work of the ICC.

Furthermore, policy factors in securing the rights of victims and witnesses,


and in protecting their integral role in the search for justice, are stressed by
Finland. We welcome the inclusion of gender-based crimes in the Rome
Statute and further recognize that sexual violence must be taken as a war
crime.

Looking ahead, Finland wishes to engage in an inclusive dialogue among


states, civil society, and international organizations to maximize ICC
effectiveness. It is only through such a collective approach that the role of
the ICC can be strengthened in the pursuit of justice and accountability
around the world.

Thank you.

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