>STOP NATO: �NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.COM > >http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/history/2000/06/d4-4us.624.html > >China Daily >June 24, 2000 > > >Exemption requests a slap in the face >The United States is demanding its citizens be >protected from international prosecution, while >denying similar rights to the citizens of other >countries. > >David Scheffer, US ambassador at large for war crimes, >is busy negotiating with US allies, particularly the >European Union and Canada, at the United Nations to >change the rules of its war crimes tribunal to protect >US soldiers and government officials from prosecution. > > >Scheffer's attempt is evident: By tailoring the rules >to suit their own needs, US servicemen and government >officials will be exempt from prosecution, regardless >of the crimes they commit. > >US servicemen and US citizens would be entitled to do >whatever they like if Scheffer's unilateral demands >are met. > >The US request makes sense because US servicemen are >more likely to fall victim to politically-motivated >prosecution, Scheffer told the UN. The United States >has made, and continues to make, enemies around the >world - from Cuba to Kosovo. > >The US decision to build the National Missile Defence >system also stems from its worry about the "perceived >threat" of its enemies. > >>From this perspective, Scheffer put forward a >"commendable" proposal. > >But Scheffer's proposal, if adopted, would allow US >servicemen to orchestrate crimes without fear of >prosecution and further violate the human rights of >non-US citizens. > >This apparently clashes with the United States' >billing itself as a champion of human rights. > >To protect its citizens' interests at the price of >others puts an ugly face on US diplomacy. > >Giving US citizens more human rights is nothing short >of stripping rights away from citizens of other >countries. > >Asked if he thought the proposal would succeed, >Scheffer said he was optimistic about the negotiations >and, if successful, the court would benefit from US >support. > >In Scheffer's eyes, money talks, regardless of the >circumstance. Economic assistance is Scheffer's best >bargaining chip. > >Scheffer's attitude is not surprising. The dollar has >traditionally been seen as an effective weapon in >bringing a country under US influence. > >Scheffer's countrymen attempted to use the dollar's >magic power to keep Elian Gonzalez, the young Cuban >shipwreck survivor, in the United States. > >They also tried to discredit Yugoslavian President >Slobodan Milosevic and force him to step down by >promising economic assistance to opposition parties in >Belgrade. > >Scheffer is again resorting to dirty tactics to gain >privileges for his countrymen. > >But Scheffer's tactics are heavy-handed. Instead of >articulating his real intention - helping some of his >culprits with blood on their hands in Kosovo and Iraq >escape punishment - he lied, saying his proposal is >designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the court. > > >His argument is full of holes and even a child can see >he is lying. > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >- >Date: 06/24/2000 >Author: JIN ZEQING >Copyright� by China Daily > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! >http://mail.yahoo.com/ > > >______________________________________________________________________ >To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
