NGOs slam failure of Czech Republic to sign up to ICC

A group of non-governmental organisations have issued a statement condemning the fact that the Czech Republic has not signed up to the International Criminal Court. It is the only country in the European Union not to have done so. The Czech Foreign Ministry said it was working on a draft proposal on the issue which would be put to parliament. Prime Minister Topolanek has previously said the Czech Republic will ratify joining the court by the beginning of its presidency of the EU in 2009.