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ICC/EU: US tries to split EU on the ICC

01 May 2002

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The US has adopted a new tactic to exempt its forces and officials from legal action by the newly-fomred International Criminal Court. Having almost succeeded in its quest for permanent immunity through the UN Security Council, the US has is now pursuing a new tactic. Under Article 98 of the Rome Treaty, a country cannot be forced to hand over a suspect to the ICC if it has a bilateral agreement with the country whose citizens are wanted for trial. American embassies throughout the world are now busy pressuring governments to enter into such bilateral agreements. Romania and Israel have already signed-up, while the EU is reported to be planning a joint decision on the US approaches in September. According to the New York Times, particular is being applied to Italy in order to prevent a consensus within the EU, with Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi apparently willing to acquiesce to American demands to improve relations with Washington.

Sources: www.iccnow.org; EUobserver.com, 8.8.02

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