Will ICC charge Clinton with Genocide? Todays news

Sunday evening Russians had the opportunity to e-mail Bill Clinton questions. Among them were how often do you lie, are you concerned about being charged for killing innocents in Yogoslavia, and what would you do if you were pres of Russia? Meanwhile, the pentagon scrambles to assure US citizens cannot be prosecuted for genocide in the world court (yeah right, good luck!). Interesting times, my friends!

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http://home-news.excite.com/news/r/000604/15/net-summit-email

Russians E-Mail Questions to 'Respected Bill'

Updated: Sun, Jun 04 03:16 PM EDT

By Peter Graff Related stories

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Anatoly from Moscow wants to know what Bill Clinton would do if he became president of Russia. Natasha, from Krasnoyarsk five time zones away in Siberia, asks: "Do you ever take advantage of your irresistible appearance? It must be easier for such a handsome president to persuade female politicians to reach agreements!"

Hundreds of wired citizens from across the world's largest country had questions for the president of the United States, and on Sunday they got a chance to ask him by e-mail.

Russia's Ekho Moskvy radio, which was to host visiting President Clinton for an interview on Sunday evening, opened its Internet web site -- echo.msk.ru -- for audience questions. By late in the afternoon there were hundreds.

It was not clear which of the questions would actually be asked on air.

"Why are your immigration laws so difficult?" asked Andrei Potrebo of St Petersburg.

Kolya Karagin of Moscow asked who Clinton wanted to grow up to be when he was little. Dmitry Danilov asked how often the president finds he has to tell a lie.

Kostya Motuzenko, also from Moscow, asked Clinton to send his regards to first daughter Chelsea. "We, the upcoming generation, will correct the mistakes of the adults," he wrote.

"RESPECTED BILL"

Russians had different terms of address for a president whose career they have followed closely over seven years. This weekend's summit marked Clinton's fifth, and almost certainly last, visit to Russia as president.

Some called him "Mister Prezident."

Most, perhaps taking a cue from former President Boris Yeltsin who was always on informal terms with his American counterpart, called him simply "Bill." Or "Bil."

One added a note of reverence: "Respected Bill."

Many of the letters were genial, but more than a few were filled with the sort of passionate anger toward the United States that surfaced in Russia during NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia during the Kosovo crisis last year.

"Are you not afraid that you will be tried for killing the innocent people of Yugoslavia?" asked Alexander Lisitsa from the provincial Russian town of Tver.

Muscovite Eldar Murdashev asked simply: "When you die, do you think you will go to heaven?"

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US steps up challenge to a new global court

By Rupert Cornwell

5 June 2000

The United States and Europe are on a collision course over American efforts to undermine the authority and independence of the new International Criminal Court (ICC) ahead of a conference to codify the court's rules of procedure on 12 June.

The aim of Washington's massive diplomatic campaign, featuring both the State Department and the Pentagon, is to obtain a guarantee that no American citizen accused of war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity could ever be brought before the ICC. Under the rules sought by the US, the state of which the suspect is a citizen will have to give its approval for a prosecution or, in extreme cases, authorisation would be required from the United Nations – meaning that the US would have the right of veto through its permanent seat on the Security Council.

The European Union, however, is resisting the pressure, arguing that such an exemption would reduce the court to toothless impotence. It claims that measures already in place provide more than enough assurance that ICC rules will not be manipulated to persecute American nationals.

The ICC, launched under the aegis of the UN and whose founding treaty was approved by 120 countries in 1998, is seen by human rights groups as the most important advance for the cause of international justice since the creation of the UN.

Almost 100 states have signed the treaty, including the entire EU, most central and south American countries, and 27 African countries. Apart from the US, the most notable dissidents are Russia, China and the Middle East countries with the exception of Jordan.

But Washington's hostility is what matters most, forcing a choice between a strong court actively opposed by the most powerful country in the world and a much feebler version that America would tolerate.

In a recent letter to European Union foreign ministers, the US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, implied that if her country did not get its way, it could withdraw from international peace-keeping and humanitarian missions. Pentagon officials in the past have gone even further, suggesting that Washington might consider pulling its forces out of Europe.

The ostensible US objection is that it might be subject to "frivolous" prosecutions by its foes as the world's pre-eminent and thus most resented power. The more likely reason is entrenched American suspicion of the UN and all its works.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/World/Americas/2000-06/uschallenge050600.shtml