Japan, 7 Others Voice Strong Objections to U.S. Sanctions on ICC

The Hague, Netherlands, Oct. 9 (Jiji Press)--Japan and seven other countries on Friday voiced their strong objections to U.S. sanctions against the International Criminal Court, which is based in The Hague in the Netherlands.

In a statement issued by their foreign ministers, Japan, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Britain said, "As committed supporters of the ICC, we regret and strongly disagree with the announcement of sanctions to be imposed upon the court by the United States."

"These sanctions will have a significant impact on the court's work, its dedicated staff and their families," the statement said, adding, "They work every day to bring those accused of the most serious international crimes to justice and to support their victims."

"We will continue to work together to support the court's vital work, uphold the rules-based international system and advance accountability," the eight nations said.

They also expressed a readiness to engage in "constructive and inclusive dialogue" with states that are not ICC members, including the United States. "We...reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality and integrity of the ICC," they stressed.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]