South Africa to withdraw from war crimes court

South Africa is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, according to a document which Reuters news agency claims to have seen on Thursday.

The move will take effect one year after notice is formally received by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

A UN spokesman reportedly declined to confirm receipt of the document, which is signed by South Africa's minister of international relations and cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and dated 19 October.

"The Republic of South Africa has found that its obligations with respect to the peaceful resolution of conflicts at times are incompatible with the interpretation given by the International Criminal Court," Reuters cites from the document.

The International Criminal Court, which opened in July 2002 and has 124 member states, is the first legal body with permanent international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Burundi appeared set to become the first state to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty establishing the global court, after its parliament voted last week to leave. President Pierre Nkurunziza reportedly signed a decree on Tuesday, but the United Nations has not yet been officially notified.