Thank you, Mister President.
I would like to thank President Gatti Santana and Prosecutor Brammertz for their clear reports and presentations. We also welcome the participation of the representatives of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Rwanda at this meeting.
Mister President,
In the words of an ICTY witness, “we cannot undo what happened, but we can ensure that justice is done, so that future generations do not suffer what we have endured”.
Switzerland continues to strongly support the work of the Mechanism. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the genocide this year in Rwanda and Srebrenica the next year, let us recall that this Council has taken on the responsibility of ensuring that justice is done. Although the proceedings before the Tribunals and the Mechanism are over, the latter's role remains essential in the fight against impunity and the promotion of durable peace.
First of all, I would like to pay tribute to the progress made in recent years, particularly in the execution of sentences and the tracing of fugitives. While these advances are crucial, they only partly reflect the central and ongoing role of the Mechanism. Several residual functions remain essential.
In this respect, we emphasize in particular the importance of preserving, managing and making accessible archives to guarantee the collective memory of atrocities, which is an important pillar of prevention. It is essential to protect the legacy of the Mechanism and the tribunals that preceded it. The rise in glorification of criminals and negationist tendencies, which we condemn, sadly demonstrates this.
As we discuss the future of the Mechanism, the future of the archives is a central issue that will need to be examined in depth. Switzerland stands ready, including as host state, to mobilize its expertise and contribute, on the basis of the Mechanism's case, to generating a global reflection on the future of the archives of the many mechanisms created by the United Nations. We believe that the management of these documents, whatever the entity that creates them, would benefit from a common framework to make their preservation and management more effective and efficient.
Mister President,
We welcome the support given by the Office of the Prosecutor to national authorities. Proof that the importance of the Mechanism is not diminishing, but simply taking on a new form.
Finally, we stress the importance of enhanced international cooperation, and call on all States to actively support the Mechanism. We welcome recent developments in regional cooperation between the states of the former Yugoslavia. We hope they mark the beginning of a determined effort to come to terms with the wounds of the past.
Mister President,
Over the past two years, we have seen significant progress made by the Mechanism. But the work does not stop there. We warn against rushing to close down its important residual functions without considering lasting solutions.
Switzerland reaffirms its commitment to international criminal justice and its full support for the work of the Mechanism. There can be no peace without justice.
Thank you.