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Cooperation Activites

Governmental Expert's Meeting on
"The Implementation of International Humanitarian Law and Related Inter-American Conventions"

San José, Costa Rica from March 6-8, 2001
Hotel Radisson Europa Zurquí

MARCH 6^th, 2001

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Opening Session of the Conference

Authorities of Costa Rica and Canada

Organization of American States (OAS)

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Inaugural Session "The Fiftieth Anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions: Assessment and Perspectives"

Dr. Jacques Forster, ICRC Vice-President

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Welcoming Cocktail and Cultural Event.

MARCH 7^th, 2001

9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Participants' registration and distribution of documents.

9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Introduction of the Works to be presented during the Conference by the President of the Conference.

9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Coffee Break

PART I: NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW AND RELATED INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTIONS

10:00 am – 11:30 am "The Implementation of International Humanitarian Law Norms: Prospects and Obstacles. An Assessment of the Current Status within the American continent"

ICRC Advisory Services on IHL

Ambassador M. Escobar, President of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, OAS

Comments.

Discussion.

11:30 am – 1:00 p.m. "The National Implementation of Inter-American Conventions: Prospects and Obstacles. An Assessment of the Current Status of Ratification and Implementation."

Department of Legal Cooperation and Information, OAS General Secretariat

Comments.

Discussion.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. LUNCH

PART II: SPECIFIC TOPICS

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Panel I: "National Mechanisms for the Implementation of International Humanitarian Law and the Inter-American Conventions: Functions and Role of the IHL National Commissions."

Presentation.

Discussion.

Panel II: "The Protection of Children in Situations of Violence."

Presentation.

Discussion.

3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Coffee Break

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Panel III: "Preventing and Repressing IHL and Human Rights Violations."

Presentation.

Discussion.

Panel IV: "The Repercussions Caused by the Proliferation and Availability of Weapons, particularly Small Arms and Light Weapons, upon Human Security and Civilian Population ."

Presentation.

Discussion.

Cocktail offered by the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica

PART III: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE: TOWARDS THE RATIFICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1998 STATUTE OF ROME FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

Moderator:
Dr. Michael Leir, Legal Adviser, DFAIT, Canada

9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. "The International Criminal Court: A New Mechanism for the Repression of Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law."

Presentation.

Discussion.

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Coffee Break

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Workshop I: "The Complementarity Principle of the 1998 Statute of Rome and Process towards the Ratification of the Statute"

Presentation.

Comments and Debate.

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. LUNCH

02:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Workshop II: "Modifications to be made in Domestic Legislation to Achieve Compliance with the Rome Statute."

Presentation.

Comments and Debate.

3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Break and Refreshments

3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Formulation of recommendations that will be presented at the next OAS General Assembly and at the Summit of the Americas.

4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Final Considerations

Dr. Jacques Forster, ICRC Vice-President
Comments from the OAS and Costa Rican and Canadian authorities.