China calls for efforts to advance transition of International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

China calls on all parties to advance transition of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), a Chinese envoy to the United Nations (UN) stated on Friday.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting on the work of the IRMCT, Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, urged all parties to reach consensus on the issue as soon as possible.

Sun noted that since the UN Security Council adopted a resolution establishing the IRMCT in 2010, the mechanism has made significant contributions to international criminal justice as a small provisional body.

He pointed out that the IRMCT has now completed all its core judicial cases, with judicial and administrative functions substantially reduced. The conditions have thus been met for further transfer and consolidation of its functions, and ultimately for its closure.

China fully acknowledges the positive role the IRMCT has played in punishing international crimes and promoting national reconciliation, Sun added.

"At the current critical juncture of mechanism transformation, China calls on all parties to reach a consensus on the basis of the UN Security Council solution as soon as possible to ensure the preservation and continuation of the political and legal legacy of IRMCT," Sun said.

Set up by the UN Security Council in December 2010 , the IRMCT is mandated to perform a number of essential functions previously carried out by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The IRMCT is transitioning into a leaner, purely residual phase as it resolves final contempt cases, manages archives and oversees sentences.

China calls for efforts to advance transition of International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Saturday said its transport workshop was damaged as the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked "again."

"As a result of the strikes, three cars were damaged, two of which were completely destroyed by fire. The refueling pumps and the glazing of the workshop building were also damaged," the plant said on social media, adding that Ukrainian forces continued their attempts to disrupt its personnel delivery system and logistics supply chain.

Despite the strike, the plant remains under full operational control, it said, adding that "the plant's safe operation is ensured, and all necessary systems are functioning normally. Radiation levels within the plant and its surrounding area remain within normal limits."

As Europe's largest nuclear facility, the power plant has repeatedly experienced disruptions of external power supply since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant says transport workshop damaged in Ukrainian attack