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U.S. Vetoes Renewal of U.N.'s Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia

Aired June 30, 2002 - 17:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: This breaking story we're following for you here at CNN.

The United States has vetoed a renewal of a U.N. police mission in Bosnia after other Security Council members rejected its demand to make the mission immune from the international criminal court.

Our Brian Palmer is on the phone and he's at the U.N. with more on this veto -- hi there, Brian.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Fredricka.

The U.S. did exactly as they promised. Even before this session began U.S. officials said they would veto this resolution and that is, in fact, what Ambassador Negroponte did. The vote was 13 permanent members of the Security Council in support, one abstention and one against. That one vote was from the U.S. And because the U.N. is -- excuse me, the United States, is a permanent member of the Security Council, that one veto basically does away with the entire resolution.

The grounds on which they did this is they, the U.S. said essentially we will not accept the risk of politicized prosecution of soldiers, sailors and marines who may be part of a U.N. peacekeeping mission.

They also said that they think that blanket immunity should be extended to all U.N. peacekeepers and that, in fact, the treaty that creates the international community court does, in fact, allow for such immunity.

The countries who voted for the resolution obviously do not accept that position. Thus, we are at loggerheads now, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Brian Palmer on the telephone, joining us from the U.N. in New York.

Thank you very much.

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