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UNITED NATIONS (AP) \u2014 A key U.N. General Assembly committee adopted a resolution late Friday paving the way for negotiations on a first-ever treaty on preventing and punishing crimes against humanity after Russia dropped amendments that would have derailed the effort.<\/p>\n
The resolution was approved by consensus by the assembly\u2019s legal committee, which includes all 193-member U.N. nations, after tense last-minute negotiations between its supporters and Russia that dragged through the day.<\/p>\n
There was loud applause when the chairman of the committee gaveled the resolution\u2019s approval. It is virtually certain to be adopted when the General Assembly puts it to a final vote on Dec. 4.<\/p>\n
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\u201cToday\u2019s agreement to start up negotiations on a much-needed international treaty is an historic achievement that was a long time coming,\u201d Richard Dicker, Human Rights Watch\u2019s senior legal adviser for advocacy, told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sends a crucial message that impunity for the kinds of crimes inflicted on civilians in Ethiopia, Sudan, Ukraine, southern Israel, Gaza<\/a> and Myanmar will not go unheeded,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The resolution calls for a time-bound process with preparatory sessions in 2026 and 2027, and three-week negotiating sessions in 2028 and 2029 to finalize a treaty on crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n Dicker said Russia\u2019s proposed amendments left in question whether treaty negotiations would have been completed.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s deputy U.N. ambassador Maria Zabolotskaya said Russia withdrew the amendments \u201cin a spirit of compromise.” But she said Russia \u201cdissociates itself from consensus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis, of course, does not mean that we are not ready to work on this crucial convention,\u201d Zabolotskaya told the committee.<\/p>\n The International Criminal Court<\/a> was established to punish major perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide and it has 124 countries that are parties to it. The ICC says crimes against humanity<\/a> are committed as part of a large-scale attack on civilians and it lists 15 forms including murder, rape, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, sexual slavery, torture and deportation.<\/p>\n But the ICC does not have jurisdiction over nearly 70 other countries.<\/p>\n There are global treaties that cover war crimes, genocide and torture \u2014 but there has been no specific treaty addressing crimes against humanity. And according to sponsors of the resolution, led by Mexico and Gambia and backed by 96 other countries, a new treaty will fill the gap.<\/p>\n Kelly Adams, legal advisor at the Global Justice Center, also called the resolution \u201ca historic breakthrough\u201d after many delays.<\/p>\n