Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the EU has held recent discussions with the United States regarding recognition of the International Criminal Court by that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18616/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The EU has been a consistent and strong supporter of the International Criminal Court, and has taken a leading role internationally in promoting the court. This position has been recognised in its common positions on the International Criminal Court, the most recent of which, of June 2003, commits the Union and its member states to support the effective functioning of the court, and to advance universal support for it by promoting the widest possible participation in the Rome statute. In February 2004, a detailed action plan on the implementation of the 2003 common position was adopted.

The EU has identified the achievement of further ratifications of accessions to the Rome statute as a particular priority. Further ratifications and accessions boost the credibility of the court, as well as increase the court's operational capacity to deal with alleged crimes, as states parties are obliged to assist the ICC in its investigations. To date, 99 states have ratified or acceded to the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court.

The United States of America signed the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court in December 2000. However, in May 2002, the US informed the Secretary General of the United Nations that it did not intend to become party to the statute and that accordingly, it had no obligations arising from its signature.

The objections of the US to the International Criminal Court are based on its view that, because of the independence of the prosecutor of the ICC, US citizens and in particular its military forces, could be subjected to politically motivated prosecutions. As I have stated before, while I recognise these concerns, I do not share them nor are they shared by our EU partners.

The Council of the European Union, in its conclusions of 30 September 2002, proposed to develop a broader dialogue between the European Union and the United States on all matters related to the International Criminal Court. The EU remains willing to engage in such dialogue and maintains contact with the US on the matter.