The Americans have threatened to cut military aid to countries who failed to sign the exemption agreement (Article 98) Thus far, the US has already cut military aid to six Caribbean countries.
This morning, President Bush is expected to hold a series of meetings, including a Caribbean leaders breakfast, with Prime Minister Christie, the prime ministers of Grenada and St. Lucia and the president of Guyana.
HIV/AIDS and the US’s request for Americans to be granted immunity from prosecution before the ICC, which was a contentious issue at a conference of regional leaders earllier this year, are among the issues expected to be discussed during the New York meeting.
The US, on the eve of the July CARICOM conference in Jamiaca, cut $48 million in military aid to countries which had failed to sign the exemption agreement for Americans before the ICC.
Among them were Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Dominica and Belize.
CARICOM had failed to arrive at a common position on the issue and instead said it recognised some member states may wish to negotiate bilateral non-surrender agreements with the US if they are advised by their legal authorities that any agreement which they entered was consistent with their obligations under the Rome Staute.
While the Bahamas has signed the statute it has not ratified it as yet.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Christie in July of this year Irene Khan, Amnesty International secretary general, urged governement to join the international effort to establish this new system of international justice by ratifying the Rome Staute as soon a possible.
By Rupert Missick, The Tribune
