Moscow on Wednesday warned that Armenia’s participation in the activities of the International Criminal Court, as a signatory to the Rome Statute that created the legal body, would directly harm relations between Russia and Armenia.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan represented Armenia for the first time in a summit of Rome Statute signatory states, after Armenia ratified the statute earlier this year becoming a full member, which stipulates that it adheres to and carries out ICC rulings.
At the summit, Mirzoyan said that Armenia was ready to work with the ICC on ensuring international legal norms and the rule of law.
In 2022, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and most recently for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.
“Yerevan’s participation in the so-called ‘Rome Statute’ [of the ICC] in The Hague in connection with the quasi-warrants for the arrest of a number of Russian officials causes direct damage to Armenian-Russian relations. Moreover, not only symbolically, but also completely directly,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday.
She emphasized that if Armenia’s collaboration with the ICC could contribute to the strengthening of some international legal norms, then it could somehow have been understood and even welcomed. But, according to her, the “two-decade operation of the fake court indicates otherwise.”
While attending the ICC summit, Mirzoyan met with the court’s leaders and addressed the gathering.
“We believe that the International Criminal Court is an important element of international law. It also enhances the development of international law and makes it more appropriate to the present-day challenges. And, perhaps most importantly, it delivers justice to the victims of atrocities, which is a vital element for peace and reconciliation. Therefore, Armenia fully acknowledges and accepts the responsibility to actively contribute to the strengthening and advancement of the Court,” Mirzoyan told the ICC summit participants.
He said that the court was the best mechanism to ensure global accountability for human rights violations, genocides and other crimes against humanity.
“As a long-standing supporter of the genocide prevention agenda, Armenia has been at the forefront of international action for strengthening of policies and practices against the crime of genocide, as well as building a global community network to advance the methods of prevention,” Mirzoyan said. “Hence, Armenia initiated the Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide in regular observance of the International Day of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, designated by the UN General Assembly Resolution. Armenia is proud to be the penholder of that Resolution.”
