| Canada Should Oppose U.S. Efforts Seeking Immunity from International Criminal Court News Release, June 26, 2002 |
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| Ottawa – Canada has an opportunity this week at the G8 summit meetings to oppose U.S. efforts at the United Nations Security Council aimed at obtaining immunity for peacekeepers from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. "Canada has been a leader in the creation of the ICC", said Fergus Watt, Executive Director of the World Federalists of Canada. “No government should be given immunity or preferential treatment for its nationals by the Court.” Canada’s support for France and the United Kingdom, two permanent Security Council members who support the ICC will be critical in the discussions in Alberta this week. The United States is seeking guarantees that no peacekeepers will ever be investigated or prosecuted by the International Criminal Court, regardless of the severity of their crimes or their own nation's unwillingness to investigate. On Thursday of last week, U.S. diplomats presented language to the UN Security Council for an "omnibus" resolution exempting UN peacekeepers from the authority of any international tribunal. They also offered alternative language, which could be included in individual peacekeeping mandates, starting with United Nations and NATO forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina. While other members of the Security Council have strongly resisted this, they did not give a firm “no” and negotiations during this extended period will now be critical. The deadline to reach agreement on the Bosnia resolution was to be Friday, but the existing resolution has now been extended for 10 days. During this time, the US government is expected to continue to pressure Security Council members to accept language exempting all peacekeepers from the jurisdiction of any international tribunal. Members of the Council say the position of the United Kingdom will be pivotal. The US is threatening to withdraw from participation in and support for peacekeeping operations unless such exemption language can be obtained. Current troop contribution agreements give the troop-contributing country exclusive jurisdiction to investigate allegations against their own nationals, and this is consistent with the ICC treaty, which will only step in where the country of nationality of the accused fails to act. Yet the US government wants additional guarantees and has threatened to block the renewal of the peacekeeping operation in Bosnia if such guarantees are not obtained. The International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty has been ratified by 69 states. It will enter into force on July 1 2002. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Christopher Hall, Senior Counsel, Amnesty International, London Tel: (+44 ) 207-413-5733 Richard Dicker, International Justice Program Director, Human Rights Watch Tel: (+1) 212-216-1248 William Pace, Convenor of the NGO Coalition for the ICC Tel: (+1) 917-214-5535 or 212-687-2176 Fergus Watt, Executive Director, World Federalists of Canada Tel. 613-232-0647 |
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