US Tries Again to Evade Reach of New Global Court

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In its uphill battle against a new global criminal court, the Bush administration wants the U.N. Security Council to exclude all peacekeeping operations from the tribunal's jurisdiction, diplomats said.

No resolution has emerged, but the United States last month vowed to propose some action before the court's statutes come into force on July 1, which means a draft is expected this week or next.

British and French officials, among others, have been sounded out by U.S. envoys about the International Criminal Court, the world's first permanent tribunal to try the most heinous crimes -- genocide, war crimes and systematic, gross human rights abuses. One such encounter took place recently on the fringe of the recent Group of Eight industrial nations foreign ministers meeting in western Canada.

Both Britain and France, who have veto power in the 15-member Security Council, have ratified the treaty creating the court as have all other European Union members. So far no council member believes Washington even has the minimum nine votes needed to bring such a resolution to the floor.

"But they will make a strong effort, even though the French have already give them a blunt, stern 'no,"' said one diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.