The US wants Rwanda to cooperate with the International Criminal Court and have surrendered Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda transferred to the Hague for trial.

In a telephonic press conference on Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson told reporters it is time for Rwanda to “step up and do the right thing” to show the world that the country is keen on ending violence in the DRC.

“It is important that cooperation is provided to demonstrate continued good faith to ending impunity and atrocities in eastern Congo.”

“If Ntaganda is taken to the Hague; it will take off the battle field, one of the most notorious rebel leaders. It will be a symbol to other rebels that they will be prosecuted too,” he said.

Bosco Ntaganda, a rebel with one of the factions of the M23 rebel group in eastern DRC surrendered to the US Embassy in Kigali three days ago and asked to be taken to the Hague for trial.

READ: Congolese warlord surrenders at US embassy in Kigali

The Court wants him on seven counts of war crimes in use of child soldiers, murder, and attacks against civilian population, rape, pillaging and sexual slavery. It also wants him on three counts of crimes against humanity in murder, rape and sexual slavery and persecution.

The ICC first issued a warrant of arrest for him in April 2008 but he remained at large. Prosecutors applied for a second warrant which was issued in July 2012 by the Pre-Trial Chamber II.

ICC officials were said to be on their way to Kigali to facilitate his transfer to the Hague where the Court is based. But it was not clear whether Kigali will grant them the support they need.

“The timeline (for his transfer) is uncertain but the need for rapid action is clear,” Mr Carson told reporters.

“We hope that when they (ICC officials) arrive, they will be admitted into the country and provided with appropriate diplomatic courtesies and that they will be allowed to make necessary arrangements to move Ntaganda into the arm of the ICC.”

Rwanda, like the US is not a signatory of the Rome Statute which created the ICC and had earlier stated it had nothing to do with Ntaganda’s transfer to the Hague. Although Mr Carson said Rwanda had pledged not to interfere with the embassy’s hosting of Ntaganda and his desires to be at the Hague, he said “the reality” could be different.

“What we are looking for is the reality in practical terms when the ICC officials arrive in the country. How they are facilitated and how Ntaganda is transferred from the embassy through town to the airport.”

“The next 48 hours will be critical. We do have clearly, the practical issues of his transfer.”

Throughout the conference, he insisted that while the two countries were not members of the Court, they had duty to support any course that would eliminate atrocities and abuse of human rights.

“We in Washington share the ICC values, principles and goals of ending impunity and human rights violations in the DRC. “We believe that we share a common set of values with Rwanda.”

With the arrest of Ntaganda, the US believes this could be a significant step in restoring stability in eastern Congo. But a lot needs to be done to deal with the problem of refugees, internally displaced persons, mineral conflicts as well as land ownership problems.

Mr Carson called on Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi to help in the solution affecting the vast DRC which has been at civil war since the death Mobutu Sesseko, with an estimated five million deaths according to the UN.

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