Costa Rica To Maintain Criminal
Court Support In Spite of U.S. Threats

Costa Rica will continue to support the International Criminal Court (ICC) in spite of U.S. threats to cancel economic aid to eight Latin Ame rica n countries if they do not exempt U.S. citizens from its jurisdiction.

Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar told the daily La Nación that it “would go against our principles” to exempt U.S. citizens from the court's jurisdiction.

“Ours is a struggle over principles and for however much we need cash, that can't lead us to change our position,” Tovar said. He said he could sign some other agreement with the United States that “would not contradict Costa Rican principles.”

The other countries that could be affected are Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Mexico. U.S. President George W. Bush, however, also could choose not to blacklist any of the countries for reasons of "national interest."

Tovar said he maintains his support of the court because “the country has been with the ICC project since its genesis and we have a judge there.”

Costa Rica should be exonerated from the suspension of aid, he said, the amount of which has not been mentioned, because of the mission this country shares with the United States in the defense of human rights.

The possible aid cuts affecting these countries are contained in the U.S. Congress' newly-passed foreign operations bill.

The ICC, based in The Hague, came into existence in 2002 to prevent impunity for humanity's worst crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Washington, however, opposes the court because it contends it could be used for politically motivated investigations of U.S. political and military officials.

It is unclear how much U.S. aid Latin Ame rica n countries could potentially lose in fiscal year 2006, which began Oct. 1.

Latin Ame rica n countries have suffered a drop in economic and military aid since 2003, when the United States began insisting that countries sign an agreement barring them from handing over U.S. civilians or military personnel to the ICC without U.S. permission.

Some 100 countries have signed these immunity agreements, including Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Honduras.

The U.S. threats to cut aid have sparked criticism, with some politicians accusing Washington of blackmailing Latin Ame rica n governments into signing an agreement they oppose in principle.

"President Bush really does not realize the impact (of the measure) in Latin Ame rica," Raj Purohit, of Citizens for Global Solutions, told EFE.

"While (Venezuelan President) Hugo Chavez is increasing his influence in the region, the United States is reducing the aid that cultivates good relations" with Latin Ame rica, Purohit said.

-- ACAN-EFE