Remarks by Ambassador Dai Bing at the UN Security Council Briefing on ICC Libya

2024-11-19 11:04  Print

President, 


I have listened carefully to Prosecutor Karim Khan’s briefing and welcome the Permanent Representative of Libya to today’s meeting.


China has been closely following the ICC investigation related to Libya. China welcomes the continued sound cooperation, as mentioned in the Prosecutor’s report, between the Libyan authorities and the Office of the Prosecutor. China hopes that the ICC will strictly follow the principle of complementarity of the Rome Statute, fully respect Libya’s judicial sovereignty, accommodate Libya’s legitimate concerns, and maintain close communication and cooperation with the Libyan authorities. The key to whether the ICC can gain the trust of the countries concerned and that of the international community lies in its ability to uphold judicial justice. We hope that the Office of the Prosecutor will maintain its independence, impartiality, and objectivity, ensure the investigation process of the Libyan case is free from external political interference, and safeguard the authority and impartiality of justice. 


The Libyan issue has been going on for more than 13 years now. Its political process is still in a deep impasse, and its security situation remains fragile. Only by helping Libya achieve early peace and stability, can justice and the rule of law be guaranteed. The international community should adhere to the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned principle, support the Libyan parties in strengthening dialogue and consultation, restarting political negotiations at an early date, and establishing a unified national institution, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Libya and avoiding the imposition of external solutions. The relevant ICC work should help the Libyan parties to strengthen their unity and solidarity, and avoid magnifying their disagreements and differences. 


At the same time, the ICC jurisdiction over Libya should not be indefinite. In the long run, it is crucial to support Libya in fighting impunity and strengthening judicial justice on its own. The international community should pay attention to the practical difficulties Libya is currently facing, and provide more constructive assistance to Libya in strengthening its own judicial capacity building and judicial authority. 


President, 


I wish to reiterate that China’s position on the ICC remains unchanged. China supports the maintenance of international peace and security by punishing the most serious international crimes. China hopes that the ICC will adhere to non-politicized and uniform standards, apply international law on an equal footing, and play a constructive role in dealing with other hotspot cases at the international at regional levels. 


Thank you, President.