June 20, 2002
The United States asked the Security Council yesterday to provide immunity for all people taking part in U.N. peacekeeping operations, a move aimed at protecting Americans from prosecution by the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal.
The U.S. draft resolution faces an uphill struggle in the 15-member council where the International Criminal Court has wide support, including from two veto-wielding members, Britain and France. In April, the new tribunal received the ratifications necessary to become a reality on July 1.
The milestone was hailed by human rights advocates and many nations but staunchly opposed by the United States. Diplomats said that during extensive consultations in recent weeks, the United States has made clear that without a blanket exemption, U.S. personnel will not take part in U.N. peacekeeping missions.
More than 700 Americans are participating in operations authorized by the Security Council - from Western Sahara and the Iraq-Kuwait and Ethiopia-Eritrea borders to Bosnia, Kosovo, Georgia, East Timor and the Sinai, a U.S. official said.
Last month, U.S. Ambassador John D. Negroponte tried to amend a Security Council resolution creating a new peacekeeping mission in East Timor. Negroponte tried to exempt prosecution of all U.N. troops by any international tribunal, but he dropped the amendment in the face of strong opposition from other council members.
In addition to yesterday's draft resolution that would cover all future U.N. missions, the United States also proposed an amendment to a resolution that would extend the U.N. police training mission in Bosnia and the authorization for the NATO-led international peacekeeping force in the country.
The amendment would bar any current or former personnel from the Bosnian missions from being surrendered to an international tribunal. The council is debating the extensions. The United States fears its citizens would be subject to frivolous or politically motivated prosecutions by the court.
U.S. opponents of the court argue that other countries could use it to try American soldiers for war crimes, in effect threatening U.S. sovereignty. But supporters contend that there are numerous safeguards in the treaty against this, including a provision that would give the court jurisdiction over a national of any country only if that country refused to investigate an allegation.
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