"We regret the Russian Federation's decision to withdraw its signature and not to become a party to the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to the order signed yesterday [November 16] by President Putin," EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini said in a statement on Thursday, November 17.
"The European Union remains a staunch supporter of the ICC and is committed to full co-operation on the prevention of serious crimes falling under the jurisdiction of the Court, which is a key institution to assist citizens achieve justice when confronted with the most serious crimes, where this is not possible at the national level," she said in the statement.
Read alsoU.S. Department of State comments on Russia's withdrawal from Hague ICCThe Russian Federation signed the Rome Statute on September 13, 2000 and the European Union has consistently urged Russia to ratify it, considering Russia's special responsibility for upholding accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole in its capacity as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to accept a proposal by the Russian Justice Ministry that Russia should withdraw from the Rome Statute establishing the ICC, and instructed respective state agencies to notify the UN Secretary General about the decision.
It is worth noting that Putin's decree was published the next day after the ICC had issued a preliminary investigation by a prosecutor, which designated the occupation of Crimea as an international armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The Rome Statute was developed with the participation of Russia and adopted at a diplomatic conference of plenipotentiaries under the auspices of the UN in Rome on July 17, 1998. It became effective on July 1, 2002, and is applicable from 2003.
