The United Nations Legal Counsel, Patricia O’Brien, visited the heads of the courts and tribunals in The Hague to discuss issues including better co-operation between the organisations.  Ms O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, began a three-day visit to discuss issues with the heads of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) the International Court of Justice (ICJ) the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). Ms O’Brien will also visit the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the mayor of The Hague.

On 25 January, Ms. O’Brien discussed closer co-operation with the International Criminal Court with President Judge Sang-Hyun Song. They discussed the Review Conference of the Rome Statute, which is set to take place in Kampala, Uganda in May 2010. Judge Song also discussed closer co-operation with the other UN ad hoc tribunals, and re-iterated an offer to host the residual mechanisms and archives when these come to a close. Ms O’Brien also met with the court’s chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo and Registrar, Silvana Arbia.

The Legal Counsel visited the ICTY for meetings with the tribunal President, Judge Patrick Robinson, Vice-President Judge O-Gon Kwon, Prosecutor Serge Brammertz and Registrar John Hocking. The main focus of the meeting was the tribunal’s Completion Strategy as well as the tribunal’s plan to preserve its legacy in the former Yugoslavia once it has completed its remaining trials. There was also discussion on the residual mechanisms of the UN ad hoc tribunals once the trials and appeals have ended.

At the ICJ, Ms O’Brien met with the Court’s president, Judge Hisashi Owada and Registrar, Mr. Philippe Couvreu as well as other judges of the Court. They discussed cooperation between the UN’s Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) and the ICJ as well as other issues, such as the role of international law.

While in The Hague, Ms. O’Brien met with the STL’s President, Judge Antonio Cassese; Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare; and the Head of the Defence Office, François Roux. She also held talks with the members of the trial chamber of the SCSL that is currently hearing the trial of the former Liberian president Charles Taylor.