Chinese envoy calls on ICC to respect Sudan's judicial sovereignty

UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to exercise its powers in accordance with law and respect Sudan's judicial sovereignty when dealing with the Darfur referral.

Twenty years ago, the Security Council adopted a resolution to refer the situation of Sudan's Darfur region to the ICC. When going about its work, the ICC should strictly abide by the complementary jurisdiction principle of the Rome Statute, stay independent, objective and impartial, and follow the letter and spirit of the relevant Security Council resolutions without improper interpretation thereof, said Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"When processing any international or regional hot-spot issues, equal and uniform application of international law by the ICC is imperative, so is the need not to apply double standards or exceptionalism," he told the Security Council.

The ICC should work more closely with national governments. When processing the Sudan dossier, the court should fully respect Sudan's judicial sovereignty and reasonable opinion, maintain close communication and cooperation with the Sudanese government, and refrain from undue interference, said Sun.

The conflict in Sudan is now in its third year, with alarming devastation and a deteriorating humanitarian situation. Faster actions and greater mediation efforts at the international level are needed to bring about an immediate ceasefire, alleviate the humanitarian plight, and search for a political solution through dialogue and negotiation, he said.

Meanwhile, Sudan should also be supported in strengthening its judicial system and capacity building, so that it is better equipped to be self-reliant in the fight against impunity, he added.

China remains committed to contributing constructively to solving the issue of Sudan alongside the international community, said Sun.