A/RES/56/85 Noting also the progress made in regard to the necessary arrangements for the commencement of the functions of the International Criminal Court in order to ensure its effective operation, and taking note in particular of the statement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Preparatory Commission at its eighth session, on the preparatory work that the Government of the Netherlands was undertaking for the establishment of the Court, 6 Recognizing the continuing need for making available adequate resources and secretariat services to the Preparatory Commission in order to enable it to discharge its functions efficiently and expeditiously, Noting in particular that one hundred and thirty-nine States have signed the Rome Statute and that the number of States that have deposited their instruments of ratification has grown significantly, Taking into consideration the probability that the first meeting of the Assembly of States Parties will be held by September 2002, as well as article 112, paragraph 1, of the Rome Statute, 1 1. Reiterates the historic significance of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; 1 2. Calls upon all States that have signed the Rome Statute to consider ratifying or acceding to it, as appropriate, without delay, and encourages efforts aimed at promoting awareness of the results of the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, held in Rome from 15 June to 17 July 1998, and of the provisions of the Statute; 3. Welcomes the important work accomplished by the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court in the completion of a great number of parts of its mandate under resolution F adopted by the Conference, 4 and notes in this respect in particular the importance of the growing participation in the work of the working group on the crime of aggression; 4. Requests the Secretary-General to reconvene the Preparatory Commission, in accordance with resolution F, from 8 to 19 April and from 1 to 12 July 2002, to continue to carry out the mandate of that resolution and, in that connection, to discuss ways to enhance the effectiveness and acceptance of the Court; 5. Also requests the Secretary-General to make available to the Preparatory Commission secretariat services, including the preparation of working documents if so requested by the Commission, to enable it to perform its functions; 6. Further requests the Secretary-General to invite, as observers to the Preparatory Commission, representatives of organizations and other entities that have received a standing invitation from the General Assembly, pursuant to its relevant resolutions, 7 to participate in the capacity of observers in its sessions and _______________ 6 PCNICC/2001/INF/3. Resolutions 253 (III), 477 (V), 2011 (XX), 3208 (XXIX), 3237 (XXIX), 3369 (XXX), 31/3, 33/18, 35/2, 35/3, 36/4, 42/10, 43/6, 44/6, 45/6, 46/8, 47/4, 48/2, 48/3, 48/4, 48/5, 48/237, 48/265, 49/1, 49/2, 50/2, 51/1, 51/6, 51/204, 52/6, 53/5, 53/6, 53/216, 54/5, 54/10, 54/195, 55/160 and 55/161. 7 2