The International Criminal Court: The Making of the Rome Statute Issues, Negotiations, Results

`It was [...] an historic moment and certainly one of the finest moments in the history of the United Nations, when, finally, the Rome Statute creating such a permanent international criminal court was adopted on 17 July 1998 at the United Nations Conference in Rome, Italy. As I have stated before, this Court will be a gift of hope to future generations, its creation represents a giant step forward in the march towards universal human rights and the rule of law. It is therefore a fitting way to inaugurate the new millennium. This publication is a collective work by a group of persons closely associated with the actual making of the Rome Statute. It covers the substantive and procedural issues raised during the preparatory stages as well as the Conference. These active participants in the Conference provide an account of the main contentions on each of the key issues, the divergent approaches put forward by the principal proponents, how differences were resolved, how groups of articles were prepared, and how the final text as a whole was assembled. All the authors served certain key functions during the Conference, most of them chaired or co-ordinated the work of a committee, a working group or a negotiating body, all of which together produced the Statute. Their professional account of the work of the Conference makes this publication a unique resource for States contemplating ratification and preparing national implementation legislation. This book gives the insiders' reportage of the negotiations that culminated in this momentous Statute.' From the Foreword by Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations

'The different chapters of the book to be reviewed have been written by some of the key players in the negotiations mapping out a very detailed picture of the different issues the drafters were confronted with. [T]he book is a very significant addition to the already existing literature on the International Criminal Court.'
Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law, 4 (2000).
'This collection of commentaries may prove particularly useful to those seeking to analyze current and future developments related to the Statute and the ICC.'
Journal of International Law and Politics, 32:3.
'Dr Lee is to be congratulated for having assembled contributors from many of the key players involved with the conclusion and adoption of the Rome Statute. The insights conveyed by these authors will no doubt establish this excellent book as essential reading for anyone interested in the establishment and future operation of this important judicial institution.'
International and Comparative Law Quarterly, 49 (October 2000).