THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL

This article considers the possible roles to be played by the United Nations Security Council (SC or Council) with regard to the permanent International Criminal Court (ICC). The power of the SC to react to international crimes threatening international peace and security has been acknowledged in the Rome Statute creating the ICC. In this article, the provisions of the Statute are compared with the decisions of the main political organ of the UN. The SC's impact on the Court occupies central place in the analysis, as the Council may undermine the independence and impartiality of the ICC. Without proper coordination between the two bodies the traditional dilemma of peace versus justice could gain a new dimension