December 2, 2009 | Kathmandu, Nepal

On December 2, 2009, the PGA International Secretariat, in association with the PGA National Group Nepal, organized a Roundtable Meeting on the ICC in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The objectives of this Roundtable Meeting were to:

• Create a greater sense of importance surrounding the desirability for Nepal to accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, thereby affirming its commitment to the rule of law and, more generally, addressing the current 'deficit' in countries that are State parties to the ICC in the Asian region.

• Promote greater understanding and awareness on the ICC among Nepalese Legislators

The Keynote Presentation was made by the President of the International Court, Judge Sang-Hyun Song.

In his prepared remarks, Judge Song observed that the ICC has been an interested, distant observer of the discussions in Nepal about potentially joining the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Although offering encouragement in this respect, Judge Song recognized that ratifying or acceding to the Rome Statute is a sovereign decision for Nepal alone to make. The President of the ICC stated that the reason for his visit to Nepal was the hope that greater understanding of the ICC and its mandate would be constructive in informing the debate on any decision by Nepal to join the Court. Judge Song then proceed to provide a helpful outline summary of the main attributes of the Court, focusing in particular on its 'complimentarity' role and its non-retroactive status, as enshrined in the Rome Statute. In concluding, Judge Song highlighted some of the immediate benefits for Nepal, were it to become a party to the ICC. The ability to participate as a full ASP member in the Review Conference in Uganda in May 2010, if it accedes to the Statute before March 2010 as well as, more generally, the capacity to nominate Nepali nationals to judgeship and senior prosecutor positions within the Court.

The ICC Roundtable Meeting also heard brief presentations and expressions of support for the ICC from a number of prominent Government Ministers, including Hon. Pradeep Gyewali, Hon. Dr. Prakash Sahan Mahet, Minister for Energy and Power, Dr. Minendra Rizal, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Prem Bahadu Singh, Minister for Law, Hon. Minister Leesemi Lal Kaena, Minister without Portfolio and Honl Lokendra Bahedu Bista, Chair of the the State Restructing Committee.

Hon. Dr. Kennedy Graham, MP of New Zealand also made a presentation where he underscored, inter alia, that any decision by Nepal to become a party to the Rome Statute was also an opportunity to draw a line in the sand, to send a clear signal of commitment to the rule of law in the past as well as a clear statement of abhorrence for what has happened in the recent past.

Mr. Subodh Raj Pyakurel, Chairperson, INSEC in Nepal and Mr. K. Sigdel of Amnesty International also both gave highly informative and illuminating presentations on past and current/ongoing efforts to seek to persuade the Constituent Assembly and the Government of Nepal about the virtues of becoming a party to the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Following a brief break, an interactive dialogue took place during which a number of participants in the Roundtable Meeting raised different questions and issues with the President of the ICC and to which he responded with the appropriate clarifications.

In addition to the aforementioned individuals, the participants in this Roundtable Meeting on the ICC also included MPs from a range of different political parties in Nepal, a representative from the Nepal National Human Rights Commission, the National Network of Indigenous Women as well as the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, Mr. Richard Bennett,

The PGA International Secretariat is indebted to Hon. Prativa Rana, MP, Chair of the PGA National Group for her able organization and stewardship of this Rountable Meeting, to Hon. Lucky Sherpa, PGA National Group Treasurer for her assistance in the organization of this Meeting as well as to Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, Secretary of the PGA National Group in Nepal for her useful interventions during the course of the Meeting as well as her gracious Thank Your remarks at the conclusion of the Meeting.

PGA is also grateful to the European Commission and the Governments of the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark for their support for the Campaign for the Rome Statute of the ICC and without whom this Meeting would not have been possible.