ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

STORY: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has confirmed that the Palestinians will officially become a member of the International Criminal Court on April 1, the U.N. press office said on Wednesday (January 7).

On Friday (January 2) the Palestinians delivered to U.N. headquarters documents on joining the Rome Statute of the ICC and other international treaties, in a move that has heightened tensions with Israel and could lead to cuts in U.S. aid.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, the spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, confirmed that the applications for the various treaties by the Palestinians was received in good standing.

"The Secretary-General has ascertained that the instruments received were in due and proper form before accepting them for deposit, and he has informed all states concerned accordingly through the circulation of depository notification," said Dujarric.

The United Nations is the of