US, Egypt and others undermine the International Criminal Court agreement
Egypt-USA, Politics, 7/5/2003

Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Maher has stated that the US and Egypt have signed an agreement providing for preventing the handing over of convicted persons of the two countries citizens to the International Criminal Court for war crimes trials, extermination and crimes against humanity.

Egypt and the US have not joined the International Criminal Court agreement.

Maher said that there is a commitment that Americans who commit that such crimes will be tried in American courts, adding that this "commitment led to signing the agreement which states not to hand over anyone who commits such crimes to the International Criminal Court as far as he will be tried in his own country."

Maher explained that the agreement signed between the two countries states that priority is for the courts of the country to which the person is affiliated" and if he is not tried by his country, then the trial transferres to the International Criminal Court." He said that this text is also applicable on the Egyptian citizens, the same as Americans.

A high ranking American official said that 44 countries signed declared agreements with the USA to protect American citizens from the court. The US Department of State said that at least other 7 governments signed agreements but do not want to declare them.

In addition to Bahrain, Tunisia, and Mauritania, as Arab states, signed a declared agreement.

Previous Stories:
  Maher makes telephone calls with Powell, Silvan   (7/3/2003)
  Key issues on Egypt-US cooperation tackled   (7/1/2003)
  Egypt, Tunisia sign secret agreements to exempt Americans from the international criminal court   (6/17/2003)

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