TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 03-605

________________________________________________________________________

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

Article 98

Agreement between the

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

and TUNISIA

Agreement effected by Exchange of Notes June 5, 2003

 
 NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE

 Pursuant to Public Law 89—497, approved July 8, 1966

(80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)—

“. . .the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent

evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of maritime

jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices of the

United States, and of the several States, without any further proof

or authentication thereof.”
TUNISIA

International Criminal Court: Article 98

Agreement effected by Exchange of Notes June 5, 2003;

 Entered into force December 22, 2003.

 
Embassy of the United States of America

Note No. 751

Excellency :

Referring to recent discussions between representatives of the

Government of the United States of America and the Government of the

Republic of Tunisia regarding the surrender of persons to the International

Criminal Court, the Government of the United States of America has the honor

to propose the following:

Reaffirming the importance of bringing to justice those who commit

genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes,

Recalling that the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court done

at Rome on July 17, 1998 (Rome Statute) by the United Nations Diplomatic

Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International

Criminal Court is intended to complement and not supplant national criminal

jurisdiction,

Bearing in mind Article 98 of the Rome Statute, and taking into

consideration that both the Government of the United States of America and

the Government of Tunisia are not parties to the International Criminal Court,

1. For purposes of this agreement, "persons" are current or former

government officials, employees or military personnel or nationals

of one party.

2. Persons of one Party present in the territory of the other shall not,

absent the express consent of the first Party,

a) be surrendered or transferred by any means to the

International Criminal Court for any purpose, or

His Excellency

Habib Ben Yahia

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Tunis
b) be surrendered or transferred by any means to any other

entity or third country, or expelled to a third country, for the

purpose of surrender to or transfer to the International

Criminal Court.

3. When the United States extradites, surrenders, or otherwise

transfers a person of Tunisia to a third country, the United States

will not agree to the surrender or transfer of that person to the

International Criminal Court by the third country, absent the

express consent of the Government of Tunisia.

4. When the Government of Tunisia extradites, surrenders, or

otherwise transfers a person of the United States of America to a

third country, the Government of Tunisia will not agree to the

surrender or transfer of that person to the International Criminal

Court by a , third country, absent the express consent of the

Government of the United States.

5. Each Party agrees, subject to its international legal obligations,

not to knowingly facilitate, consent to, or cooperate with efforts by

any third party or country to effect the extradition, surrender, or

transfer of a person of the other Party to the International Criminal

Court.

6. Either Party may request consultations regarding cases of special

interest.

Should the above proposal be acceptable to the Government of Tunisia,

may I suggest, Excellency, that this note and your written reply agreeing with

its terms should be considered as an agreement between the Government of

the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Tunisia.

This Exchange of Notes shall come into force on the date of the receipt

of the second notification through which the two Parties inform each other of

the accomplishment of their internal procedures.
This Exchange of Notes shall remain in force until one year after the

date on which one Party notifies the other of its intent to terminate it. The

provisions of this Exchange of Notes shall continue to apply with respect to

any act occurring, or any allegation arising, before the effective date of

termination.

The English and Arabic language texts of this Note shall be equally

authentic. In case of any inconsistency, the English text shall prevail.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Embassy of the United States of America,

Tunis, June 5, 2003.
Republique Tunisienne

Ministêre des Affaires Etrangêres

LE MINISTRE

Excellency ,

I write to acknowledge receipt of your letter under reference n°

751 and dated june, 5th 2003 in which you stated the following:

"Excellency ,

Referring to recent discussions between representatives of the

Government of the United States of America and the Government of

the Republic of Tunisia regarding the surrender of persons to the

International Criminal Court, the Government of the United States of

America has the honor to propose the following:

Reaffirming the importance of bringing to justice those who

commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes,

Recalling that the Rome Statute of the International Criminal

Court done at Rome on July 17, 1998 (Rome Statute) by the United

Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the

Establishment of an International Criminal Court is intended to

complement and not supplant national criminal jurisdiction,

Bearing in mind Article 98 of the Rome Statute, and taking into

consideration that both the Government of the United States of

America and the Government of Tunisia are not parties to the

International Criminal Court,

1. For purposes of this agreement, "persons" are current or former

government officials, employees or military personnel or nationals of

one party.

2. Persons of one Party present in the territory of the other shall not,

absent the express consent of the first Party,
(a) be surrendered or transferred by any means to the International

Criminal Court for any purpose, or

(b) be surrendered or transferred by any means to any other entity or

third country, or expelled to a third country, for the purpose of

surrender to or transfer to the International Criminal Court.

3. When the United States extradites, surrenders, or otherwise

transfers a person of Tunisia to a third country, the United States will

not agree to the surrender or transfer of that person to the International

Criminal Court by the third country, absent the express consent of the

Government of Tunisia.

4. When the Government of Tunisia extradites, surrenders, or

otherwise transfers a person of the United States of America to a third

country, the Government of Tunisia will not agree to the surrender or

transfer of that person to the International Criminal Court by a third

country, absent the express consent of the Government of the United

States.

5. Each Party agrees, subject to its international legal obligations,

not to knowingly facilitate, consent to, or cooperate with efforts by any

third party or country to effect the extradition, surrender, or transfer of

a person of the other Party to the International Criminal Court.

6. Either Party may request consultations regarding cases of special

interest.

Should the above proposal be acceptable to the Government of

Tunisia, may I suggest, Excellency, that this letter and your reply

agreeing with its terms should be considered as an agreement between

the Government of the united States of America and the Government of

the republic of Tunisia.

This Exchange of Letters shall come into force on the date of the

receipt of the second notification through which the two Parties inform

each other of the accomplishment of their internal procedures.

2
This Exchange of Letters shall remain in force until one year after

the date on which one Party notifies the other of its intent to terminate

it. The provisions of this Exchange of Letters shall continue to apply

with respect to any act occurring, or any allegation arising, before the

effective date of termination.

The English and Arabic language texts of this Letter shall be

equally authentic. In case of any inconsistency, the English text shall

prevail.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest

consideration".

In reply, I have the honor to confirm the agreement of the

Government of the Republic of Tunisia to the foregoing.

Please accept, honorable Minister The assurances of my highest

considerations.

Done at Tunis on June, 5 th 2003

Youssef MOKADDEM

Secretary of tate in charge of

Maghreb and African Affairs

The Ambassador of The

United States of America

- Tunis3
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