The Prosecutor of the ICTR, Carla Del Ponte recognizes the frustration and anger of the Government of Rwanda and victims of the genocide following the recent decision of the Appeals Chamber in the case against Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza. She wishes to assure them that she is actively seeking a review of that decision.

As a consequence of a Notice filed by the Prosecutor on 19 November 1999, the order for the immediate release of Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza has now been suspended. The Prosecutor is encouraged by this development, and has been given until Thursday, 2 December 1999 to lodge further legal argument supporting her request.

The Prosecutor therefore is eager to visit her Office in Kigali. Without doing so she cannot fulfil the mandate she has been given by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

The Prosecutor considers that it would be appropriate for her to meet the Rwandan authorities to discuss her solutions with them. Mrs. Del Ponte also supports Rwanda’s request to intervene as amicus curiae in the proceedings. The Prosecutor believes that this issue is a top priority and accordingly has cancelled all her pending appointments in The Hague, and will remain at her office in Arusha, where she has other business to attend to in the meantime.