The Bureau
of the Preparatory Commission, elected at its 1st and 2nd meetings, on 16
and 22 February 1999, continued its work with the following composition:
Chairperson: Mr. Philippe Kirsch (Canada)The coordinators, designated by the Chairperson, in consultation with the Bureau, at the first session of the Preparatory Commission, continued their work also during the fourth session of the Preparatory Commission.Vice-Chairpersons: Mr. George Winston Mckenzie (Trinidad and Tobago), Mr. Medard Rwelamira (South Africa), and Mr. Muhammed Sacirbey (Bosnia and Hercegovina)
Rapporteur: Mr. Salah Suheimat (Jordan)
The Preparatory Commission
proceeded with its work on the basis of its agenda (PCNICC/1999/L.1) adopted
on 16 February 1999.
The
Preparatory Commission had before it the Proceedings
of the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court at its
first, second, third and fourth sessions (16-26 February, 26 July-13 August,
29 November - 17 December 1999 and 13 -31 March 2000), including
the first reading of the
Rules
of Procedure and Evidence and
the
Elements
of Crimes (PCNICC/1999/L.5/Rev.1,
Add.1
and Add.2)
- (other languages)
At its 23rd meeting, on 30 June 2000, the Preparatory Commission adopted its report containing the finalized draft texts of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence and the Elements of Crimes (see PCNICC/2000/1 and Add.1 and 2), and took note of several understandings with regard to the Working Group on the Rules of Procedure and Evidence (reflected in document PCNICC/2000/L.3/Rev.1 - other languages)
At its 22nd meeting, on 28 June 2000, the Preparatory Commission decided, in accordance with its mandate under resolution F of the Rome Conference, to consider, at its sixth session, to be held from 27 November to 8 December 2000, in addition to the crime of aggression, the following three items: the Relationship Agreement between the Court and the United Nations; the Financial Regulations and Rules of the Court; and the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Court. At the same meeting, the Preparatory Commission also decided to establish working groups on each of the three new items. The Chairman informed the Commission that the coordinators for the three new items and the contact points for the remaining items within its mandate under resolution F would be announced at the next session.2 In order to facilitate its work, the Preparatory Commission requested the Secretariat to prepare purely technical drafts, including only standard provisions, for the three instruments and to distribute them in advance to enable delegations to study them carefully.
The Preparatory Commission was addressed by Judge Navanethem Pillay and Judge Erik Møse, the President and Vice-President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, respectively, at its 17th meeting, on 12 June 2000; and by Judge Claude Jorda, President of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, at its 19th meeting, on 19 June 2000.
The Preparatory Commission took note of the inter-sessional meeting of the coordinators and sub-coordinators dealing with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence hosted by the Government of Canada in Mont-Tremblant from 30 April to 5 May 2000.
