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<<<<Then the Europeans want a guarantee that Americans accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity will be dealt with by American courts. >>> As in the way American soldiers were "dealt with" by their military tribunals for crimes against civilians in Vietnam? S. Conroy wrote: > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2287776.stm > > EU gives US troops immunity > > > The European Union has allowed member states to reach bilateral > agreements with the United States, giving American troops limited > immunity from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC). > Such deals will be permitted provided certain conditions are met such as > granting immunity to diplomats and soldiers only. > > The decision was announced after a meeting of EU foreign minister in > Brussels on Monday. > > The Bush administration has argued that US citizens must be protected > from hostile governments prosecuting them for political reasons, and has > approached EU and other states to secure immunity agreements for > American troops. > > Twelve countries - mostly small or poor - have signed such deals so far, > promising not to hand over US citizens on their territory to the ICC. > > 'Red lines' > > Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller said immunity agreements will > be allowed if a number of "red lines" are respected. > > First, they should apply only to soldiers or officials sent abroad. > > > > Then the Europeans want a guarantee that Americans accused of war crimes > and crimes against humanity will be dealt with by American courts. > > Finally, agreements should not be reciprocal: citizens of the European > state involved would not be similarly protected. > > Correspondents say this position is an attempt to bridge the gap between > the US, which wants to ensure that none of its citizens is ever > prosecuted by the new ICC, and the Europeans, who want to strengthen the > court's credibility. > > Human rights campaigners have accused Britain in particular of being > ready to undermine the court, rather than have a serious clash with the > US. > > Mr Moeller denied this. > > "There is no concession," he said. "There is no undermining of the > International Criminal Court." > > However his German counterpart, Joschka Fischer, made clear he had > wanted a clear rejection of the US demand for blanket immunity. > > "We did not get that, but we came very close to it," he said. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
