*EPF110 05/06/2002
Text: Bolton Informs U.N. of U.S. Action on Criminal Court
(U.S. will not ratify ICC treaty, he says) (200)

Following is the text of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton's letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan informing him that the United States is renouncing all involvement in the newly created International Criminal Court.

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
May 6, 2002

STATEMENT BY RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESMAN

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT:
LETTER TO U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN

Following is the text of the letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan from Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John R. Bolton:

Dear Mr. Secretary-General:

This is to inform you, in connection with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted on July 17, 1998, that the United States does not intend to become a party to the treaty. Accordingly, the United States has no legal obligations arising from its signature on December 31, 2000. The United States requests that its intention not to become a party, as expressed in this letter, be reflected in the depositary's status lists relating to this treaty.

Sincerely,

S/John R. Bolton

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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