Shevardnadze Supports Ratification of Rome Statute

(Tbilisi. March 25, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Ratification of the Rome Statute on International Criminal Court ?would be absolutely admissible,? Georgian President said at the news briefing on March 24.

The Tbilisi-based Abkhazian government in exile urges the Georgian Parliament for ratification of the Rome Statute of International Criminal Court (ICC), to allow for a case on genocide of ethnic Georgians in Abkhazia at ICC.

On March 10-15 the Justice Minister of Abkhazia visited Hague and addressed the ICC to judge on evidence of the ?genocide? of the ethnic Georgians during and after the 1992-93 war in Abkhazia.

?Tamaz Nadareishvili [head of the Abkhaz government in exile] has contacts with the ICC and the representative of the court might visit Georgia soon,? Eduard Shevardnadze said.

He said that the problem is the ICC does not have jurisdiction over crimes committed before the entrance into force of the Rome Statute in 2002.

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