Armenia ratifies the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC): an act of provocation towards Russia.
In a move sure to spark reactions, the Armenian Parliament ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in just a few debates. This accession to the ICC is seen as a provocation towards Russia, Armenia’s traditional ally, with which relations have become strained in recent weeks.
The choice to join the ICC was supported by 60 votes to 22 in the Armenian Parliament. However, this decision does not please Russia, which reacted strongly due to the arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Russian President Vladimir Putin last spring.
Armenia justifies this accession by asserting that this will give it additional guarantees against Azerbaijan. This approach comes in a tense context, Azerbaijan having recently won a military victory against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. Yerevan accuses Russia of having abandoned it in the face of a better armed and wealthier adversary, and is now worried about the security of its territory.
The ratification of the Rome Statute means that any possible invasion of Armenia will fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC, potentially deterring any aggressive action. However, this decision is not unanimous within the Armenian Parliament, some opposition parties withdrew from the session to express their disagreement.
This accession to the ICC also aroused the interest of France, the head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna, welcoming this decision and emphasizing the importance of fighting against impunity for crimes to preserve peace and stability.
It should be noted that Armenia had signed the Rome Statute in 1999 but had not ratified it until now, citing contradictions with its Constitution. These obstacles have been removed, allowing Armenia to take this important step.
However, this ratification angered Russia, which considers this gesture to be extremely hostile. Relations between Armenia and Russia are currently at an all-time low, with Yerevan feeling abandoned by its ally in the face of recent attacks from Azerbaijan. Armenian authorities have offered to sign a bilateral agreement with Russia to ease tensions, but no further details have been given on this subject.
In short, Armenia’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC is a decision that is sure to provoke reactions, particularly from Russia. This accession aims to strengthen the security of Armenian territory vis-à-vis Azerbaijan, but it also risks aggravating tensions between these two countries. To be continued.