Security Council Establishes Residual Mechanism to Conclude Tasks of International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda, Former Yugoslavia

The Security Council decided this morning to establish the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals to finish the remaining tasks of the Tribunals for Rwanda and the Former Yugoslavia, and maintain their respective legacies.

Adopting resolution 1966 (2010) by a vote of 14 to none, with 1 abstention (Russian Federation), the Council decided that the Mechanism’s branch for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda would commence its operations on 1 July 2012 and that for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on 1 July 2013.

To ensure a smooth transition to the Mechanism, it requested both Tribunals to take all possible measures to complete all their remaining work no later than 31 December 2014, and decided that the Mechanism would continue their jurisdiction, rights, obligations and essential functions, subject to provisions of the current resolution and the Statute of the Mechanism, as annexed to the text.  The determination of the location of the two branches of the Mechanism would be subject to the conclusion of appropriate arrangements between the United Nations and host countries, and acceptance by the Security Council.