Distinguished colleagues, the paper we have produced is being circulated as I speak. It is, again, a non-paper that is based on the non-paper you have seen earlier on. I have been in consultations ever since this morning with many of you. I have reached out to all the groups with the help of Prince Zeid to consult on the non-paper that we have made available. We have received input, some of which is reflected in this text. We trust that it is a further step forward and we are grateful to those delegations that have made contributions to this process. I will quickly walk you through the text, in accordance with established practice. The changes to the previous non-paper are indicated in bold letters. In the resolution in operative paragraph 1, we have added a technical addition, a reference to the adoption ‘in accordance with article 5(2) of the Rome Statute’, which we think is a technical improvement. We are grateful to the delegations that have brought that issue to our attention. At the end of OP 1, again upon suggestion of a number of delegations, we have made a reference already to the declaration that is possible under article 15 bis and made it clear that this is possible prior to ratification or acceptance. In paragraph 3 bis we have added a review clause that, as you know, has been in a different format in the text for quite some time and chosen the seven years’ timeframe that was chosen at the Rome Conference for the convening of the Review Conference that we are currently holding.

Now on article 15 bis, there is first a new element in paragraph 1 bis, namely on the issue of a delayed entry into force that has been favored by many and has found strong expression of support in the consultations that I have had. It is a clause on delayed entry into force that says that it would be at least five years after the adoption of the amendments of the crime of aggression and one year after the ratification or acceptance of the amendments by thirty States Parties.