Downing Street Says » Darfur/ICC

» Tuesday, February 1, 2005

Darfur/ICC

Asked of the Government supported the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a body, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that of course we supported the ICC as a body. The Question was what was the view of the Security Council as a whole. We would take part in the discussion later this week and he suspected next week as well. Therefore we had to await the view of the Security Council. Asked what view the UK would be taking, the PMOS said that we had only received the report this morning. We needed time to study the report and in any case the best thing was for us to express our view at the Security Council first. Asked if was necessary to set up a new court when we had a court in the Hague, the PMOS said that we should study the report and then we present our view to the Security Council. It was best that we took the time to do it properly. It wasn’t a simply black or white decision, it was necessary to listen to the views of others within the Security Council and take art in the discussion. Asked if the Prime Minister had discussed this with President Bush, the PMOS said that he never got into details of conversations with the President and the Prime Minister on this or any other issue. Put to him that sometime he did go into detail when it suited him, the PMOS agreed that he did give details when it suited him but on this occasion it didn’t. Asked if the Government was trying to put this into the long grass until President Bush visited, the PMOS said that since he had already said that there would be a discussion later this week on this issue, that could hardly be considered to be the long grass. Grass didn’t grow that fast in February! Asked if we would give a definitive view on the Security Council, the PMOS said that we would study the report and as and when we were ready to say something we would let people know.

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