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> Assembly of States Parties > Sessions > 5th Session

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The Regular Fifth Session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) was held in The Hague, the Netherlands, at the World Forum Convention Centre from 23 November to 1 December 2006. 82 States Parties out of 103 registered for the ASP, as did 39 non-States Parties. More than 230 representatives from non-governmental organisations from all parts of the world attended the Hague session. The Resumed Fifth Session of the ASP was held in New York, the US, at the UN Headquarters, from 29 January to 1 February 2007. At least 88 States Parties out of 104 participated, as did at least 35 non-States Parties. Around 50 representatives from 17 NGOs participated in the New York session.

The main divisive question with regards to the Court’s budget for 2007 was whether the ASP would adopt the report of its Committee on Budget and Finance (CBF) as ‘a package’ or examine certain issues carefully. The ICC’s proposed budget for its work on outreach and the CBF's recommendation that this request not be granted in full took centre stage in this debate. States Parties found a compromise and the initially-requested sum for the Court’s outreach budget was reinstated, though the Court was urged to develop further a system of evaluation.

Moreover, the Assembly re-elected four out of the five members of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims during its November session and the Assembly elected the remaining member of the Board, Mr. Bulgaa Altangerel (Mongolia) at its resumed session.

A budgetary resolution on a maximum rate for the highest financial contributors - as exist at the United Nations – was approved.

Furthermore, the Assembly also adopted a resolution welcoming the Court’s Strategic Plan (and its other supporting strategies) and invited the Court to further develop dialogue including on their implementation.

Regarding the Court’s permanent premises, a resolution requested that the ICC focus on the site of the Alexanderkazerne as the sole option.

In addition, the Assembly adopted an omnibus resolution, ‘Strengthening the International Criminal Court and the Assembly of States Parties’ (ICC-ASP/5/Res.3), which deals with many other essential matters, including: implementing a draft plan of action on ratification and implementation, approving a draft headquarters agreement between the ICC and the host State, introducing a new chapter on cooperation and requesting the Bureau to address this issue, requesting the Bureau to start preparing for the Review Conference, inviting the Court to present proposals on an independent oversight mechanism, and requesting the Bureau to continue its work on equitable geographic representation and gender balance.

Finally, the Special Working Group on the Crime of Aggression (SWGCA) met during both the regular session and the resumed session, chaired by Liechtenstein Ambassador Christian Wenaweser. A Discussion Paper produced by the Chair in January 2007 served as basis for the negotiations at the resumed session of the fifth ASP. States debated the definition of the crime of aggression, in particular three issues: the leadership requirement, the conduct element and the State act of aggression.

NGOs contributed to the outcomes of the ASP, in particular through the CICC’s NGO Issue Teams, providing recommendations to States through Team Papers, diplomatic briefings, and experts’ input during the ASP. The CICC also organized various side-meetings with Court officials as well as regional lunches with governments to discuss efforts related to ratification and implementation.

For more detailed information on the fifth session of the ASP, please read the CICC Report on the fifth Session of the ASP