With
ICC
Judge Election
Stalled, Latin
Snarking, A
Call for
Cathala to
Quit
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 14,
updated below
-- As the standoff for
three
remaining
International
Criminal Court
judgeship
lurched
into Wednesday
afternoon,
there were
growing calls
from
candidates
with fewer
votes
to drop out.
In the Latin
group, many
called for
Colombia which
fell
to 16 votes to
withdraw. But
its candidate
was heard to
say, albeit
on Tuesday
afternoon, "hasta
la muerte"
- until
death.
The
Colombia
delegation has
explained to
Inner City
Press that the
country wants
to make a
contribution
to
international
criminal
justice, based
on
its history
and expertise.
One of its
opponents
snarks that it
wants
to block any
ICC
investigation
and action on
Colombia:
Ocampo did
visit the
country, and
his successor
Fatou
Bensouda's
views are not
known.
A
counter-snark
notes the
"23,000
petitions to
the ICC to
investigate
murders
committed in
connection
with the war
on drugs," and
says that
"with a new
party likely
in the
presidency
soon, there is
a
desire to get
a judge on the
ICC pre-trial
chamber to cut
off any
action."
All
snarking
aside, Article
41 of the Rome
Statute of the
ICC: “A judge
shall not
participate in
any case in
which his or
her
impartiality
might
reasonably be
doubted on any
ground.” But
the fact that
things have
descended this
low is
telling.
We
still hope to
hear from both
Colombia and
Mexico, which
recently
served on
the Security
Council, with
its view for
publication
before the
voting
is completed.
UK
candidate
Morrison is up
to 71 votes.
An ICC
member's
Deputy
Permanent
Representative
told Inner
City Press
flatly that
the "other
European"
candidate,
Bruno Cathala
of France with
54 votes,
should drop
out. That a candidate
rated
unqualified
has
unequivocally
said that the
French mission
offered trade
votes, and
the candidate's
Permanent
Representative
last week told
Inner City
Press they
would vote for
France,
might
seem to add
strength to
this argument.
But an
Assembly of
State
Parties
insider
predicted that
France with a
Permanent seat
on the
Security
Council would
"never"
voluntarily
withdraw.
(c) UN Photo
Bruno
Cathala
previously at
UN, vote trade
and drop out
not shown
The
African Group
met in the
hallway
between rounds
of voting; an
attendee said
discussion
focused on
coming
together to
support their
candidates.
But the group
doesn't have
the 77 votes
needed. The
Nigerian
candidate has
52 votes.
Watch this
site.
Update
of
6:15 pm -- the
8th round was
still
inconclusive.
114 states
votes
(down from 116
in 6th round),
meaning 76
votes were
needed. But
Morrison of
the UK at 69,
Nigeria rose
to 58, from 52
in sixth
round.
Cathala still
at 54,
Dominican
candidate up
to 46. Urbina
of Costa
Rica at 39.
Mauritius up
to 37, Mexico
down to 24.
Voting
finished
for the day,
now general
debate begins,
with the
elusive
Ivorian
prime minister
Soro to speak
tomorrow
(after
canceling
today his
press
conference at
3:30, and
meeting with
Ban Ki-moon at
5:30). Only
at the UN --
or, at #ASP10.
Watch this
site.
, 
