Today's Date:

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The 15 agreed in Brussels yesterday, and this is important, on an approach and common response to the U.S. That is essential because there was a risk of dividing the European Union. That has been definitely ruled out.

We have three imperatives:

- first the 15 EU members must comply with the commitments accepted under the Rome Statute, i.e. reject any maneuver that might harm the integrity of the Court;

-Second, we must maintain the unity of the 15, especially as that unity has an effect beyond the European Union. A number of countries, especially among the EU candidates, were waiting to know what our position is before defining their own in relation to that line;

-lastly, we know that the U.S. has concerns and fears about the ICC; our eventual objective is to bring the U.S. back to the international court.

We believe these three imperatives were met. First because the 15 agreed, then because we are ready to engage in dialogue with our American partners—which is a constructive approach—and lastly because what was agreed on the substance is in full compliance with the commitments made under the Rome Statute; and we agreed on a number of specific “red lines” which all the EU states pledge to respect. (...)