"This is a historic breakthrough. It is gratifying that after over 50 years of preparations, the International Criminal Court will finally go into effect. It is particularly gratifying for a country like Norway, with its tradition of working for a stronger international legal order. The Court will serve as a safety net which can be activated when national systems are themselves unable or unwilling to prosecute perpetrators of mass atrocities," says Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Petersen. "It is my hope that the International Criminal Court will promote reconciliation after armed conflict and serve as a deterrent for the future," he adds.

The 60th country will lodge its instrument of ratification for the establishment of the International Criminal Court in New York today. This means that the Court will formally be established on 1 July.

This Court is the first permanent institution in the world with a mandate to prosecute the individuals responsible for the most serious international crimes. International criminal tribunals have already been established for crimes committed in Rwanda and in the former Yugoslavia. The treaty establishing the International Criminal Court, adopted in Rome on 17 July 1998, marks a crucial turning point in international law. It establishes a permanent international court to prosecute individuals for genocide, other crimes against humanity, and the most serious war crimes.