On behalf of the British Government I would like to thank Prime Minister Persson for his efforts to draw attention to the most serious problems facing the international community. The series of Stockholm Fora which he has hosted have set objectives to which the UK fully subscribes. Indeed, as far back as 1999, Prime Minister Blair noted that ‘the most pressing problem we face is to identify the circumstances in which we should get actively involved in other people’s conflicts’. Genocide Prevention is the ultimate test of how well the international community is able to respond to humanitarian crises. The UK fully supports this Forum’s Declaration, and shares Prime Minister Persson’s commitment to improve that response.

Tomorrow, Holocaust Memorial Day events will take place across the UK. In recognition that 2004 marks the 10th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda, the theme for the day is ‘From the Holocaust to Rwanda; lessons learned, lessons still to learn.’ The students and communities involved in the events have every right to ask what happened to the assurance ‘never again’? Sadly, the only answer we can give is that the tragic consequences of failing to heed the warnings of genocide continue to leave a scar on the world’s conscience. Neither the UK nor the international community can look with pride on our role in Rwanda in 1994. There can be no stronger rationale for commitments espoused by this Forum.

We are here to ensure that early warning of genocidal acts is not ignored. A robust civil society and independent media are a strong deterrent to genocidal regimes, and they represent a vital information resource for governments and multilateral agencies. The UK Delegation to this Forum includes representatives of International Alert and the Forum for Early Warning and Early Response. They remind me that Governments tend to be better at collecting information about the threats to other Governments rather than to minority groups. There is some evidence that we are learning lessons about how and when to respond to early warning signs. The prompt military intervention of the international community in support of the political settlement in Macedonia in 2001, for instance, showed what can be done to prevent further loss of life and deploy scarce resources effectively.

We are here to encourage states to fulfil their responsibility to protect their citizens. It is an established principle of international law that states have a duty not to intervene in matters within the domestic jurisdiction of another state. But there are occasions when states fail their people. I believe that intervention, including the use of force as a last resort, can be justifiable and legal under specific circumstances to avert an immediate and overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe. I encourage other delegations to look closely at the report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty, which has provided a valuable contribution to this ongoing debate. It offers a possible set of criteria for intervention in humanitarian crises in accordance the UN Charter. By singing up to the Declaration we are committing ourselves to seriously discuss these criteria in the UN General Assembly.

We are here to ensure that perpetrators of genocide are brought to justice. The trial of Slobodan Milosevic is the first time that a former Head of State has been tried for genocide, while Jean Kambanda’s conviction by the Rwandan Tribunal in 1998 was the first time a former Head of Government was convicted for genocide. The 1951 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide has finally acquired some teeth. A solid legal and political commitment to deal with those who are found guilty of genocide can act as a strong deterrent. Equally importantly, the mechanisms of international justice can play an important part in restoring stability and rebuilding the justice sector in post-conflict states, as we are seeing in Sierra Leone. The Special Court is carrying out an important task in punishing perpetrators of crimes against humanity, but is also building wider capacity in the justice system.

It is our long-term aim that the need for ad hoc tribunals will disappear now that the International Criminal Court has come into being. As one of its strongest supporters, we see the ICC as the most important development in international justice and a vital tool for conflict prevention, deterrence of genocide and other international crimes. Our objective is to work for global ratification of the ICC statute so that the court may enjoy the widest possible remit in its fight against impunity for the most serious crimes.

We are here to ensure that genocidal ideologies are not given chance to take root again. Breaking cycles of hatred in any community requires acknowledging the past and developing educational programmes which provide a tangible alternative. It is a process which takes generations, but it is an important part of prevention, and worth investing in. A previous Stockholm Forum in 2000 made an important contribution to this process, based on the lessons of the Holocaust. We must encourage this approach to be adopted in tolerance education more widely.

I commend this Forum’s Declaration as an agenda for effective multilateral co-operation to prevent genocide. But there is much more to do, and we must all work to demonstrate that the political will exists to meet the challenge.