NEWS RELEASES
CANADA PROVIDES ASSISTANCE PACKAGE TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
December 17, 1997 No. 211
CANADA PROVIDES ASSISTANCE PACKAGE TO
THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL
FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy, the Minister for International Co-operation and Minister responsible for la Francophonie Diane Marleau, and the
Solicitor General Andy Scott announced today that Canada will provide an
extensive package of additional assistance to the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The announcement was made while
Minister Axworthy attended a meeting of the foreign ministers of the
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) in Brussels.
"The continuing work of the Tribunal is essential to international efforts to
promote peace in the region," Minister Axworthy said. "Canada strongly urges
all parties to co-operate with the Tribunal, and in this regard welcomes
Croatia's role in the recent surrender of 10 indicted war criminals."
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will provide up to
$600 000 in additional support for the work of the Tribunal. This brings
Canada's total voluntary contribution to the Tribunal to $1.8 million.
The majority of this additional contribution will support the exhumation of
mass graves. This work is essential to corroborate the testimony of witnesses,
and to provide other evidence that will be used in the trial of suspected war
criminals. The remainder of the contribution has been earmarked to help provide
another ICTY courtroom. This facility is urgently needed to respond to the
growing number of cases on the Tribunal's docket.
"Support for fundamental human rights underlies the Canadian government's
reconstruction program in the former Yugoslavia," said Mrs. Marleau. "The
additional funding will build on the progress that has been achieved to date."
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), through the Civilian Police
Arrangement, plans to provide the Tribunal with up to five crime analysts to
assist with the Tribunal's increased investigative workload in the Hague. This
additional Canadian contribution is in response to a November appeal by ICTY's
Chief Prosecutor for UN member states to provide expert personnel until
June 30, 1998.
"The RCMP is pleased to be able to assist in the important work of the
International Criminal Tribunal in bringing war criminals to justice," said Mr.
Scott.
Canada is providing the Tribunal with a list of Canadians who are available for
recruitment by the Tribunal, and who possess the qualifications and expertise
most urgently needed by the Tribunal. These individuals include translators,
investigators and criminal-justice experts.
Finally, in response to an approach by the Tribunal to several countries,
Citizenship and Immigration Canada is negotiating an Understanding concerning
the resettlement, when necessary, of some witnesses who testify before it.
Funding for these initiatives was provided for in the February 1997 federal
budget, and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.
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A backgrounder is attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Debora Brown
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency
(819) 953-6534
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Backgrounder
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL
FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
At the London Peace Conference in August 1992, Canada was one of the first
countries to call on the international community to create an international
tribunal to try those individuals responsible for war crimes and crimes against
humanity committed in the former Yugoslavia. Subsequently, the UN Committee of
Experts was established to receive information from states relating to
violations of humanitarian law.
Canada was the first country to make a substantial financial contribution
($300 000) to the voluntary fund of the Experts Committee, and continued to
take the lead in advocating establishment of a criminal tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia. Canada also pushed for the establishment of a permanent
international court to try war crimes wherever they are committed, and hosted,
in March 1993, an international experts meeting in Vancouver to give impetus to
this project.
In May 1993, the United Nations Security Council authorized the creation of
the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Negotiations
toward a permanent International Criminal Court are currently under way at the
United Nations in New York.
Several eminent Canadians have been appointed to the International Criminal
Tribunal in The Hague. Madame Justice Louise Arbour of the Ontario Court of
Appeal took up her duties as Chief Prosecutor on October 1, 1996. Former Chief
Justice of the Quebec Superior Court, Mr. Justice Jules Deschênes, sat as a
member of the Appellate Chamber for the Tribunal. Commander (ret.) William
Fenrick, one of the original members of the UN Committee of Experts on Crimes
Committed in the Former Yugoslavia, is the Chief International Legal Adviser to
the Prosecutor of the Tribunal. A number of other Canadians also work for the
Tribunal in various capacities.
On October 6, 1997, 10 indicted persons surrendered to the Tribunal, doubling
the number of persons in custody to 20. Two of the accused have been convicted.
The arrival of the 10 indicted for trial has had an enormous, sudden impact on
the Tribunal's workload, and has resulted in an appeal in November by Chief
Prosecutor Arbour to UN member states for assistance. In December 1997, Canada
responded with an extensive assistance package to support the continuing and
vital work of the Tribunal.
Canada contributes to the financing of the War Crimes Tribunal through its
assessed contribution to the United Nations budget. In addition, Canada has
voluntarily contributed approximately $1.8 million, including this $600 000 for
the exhumation of mass graves and the building of the much-needed additional
courtroom. Canada's earlier contributions helped the Tribunal to establish a
process for reviewing individual cases, to ensure that arrests of suspected war
criminals are consistent with international legal standards. Canada also helped
to finance other mass grave exhumations, each of which costs about $250 000.
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