Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

U.N. Will Formally Establish Global Court to Deal With Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity

Aired April 11, 2002 - 09:33   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Today, marks a historic day at the United Nations. The world body will formally establish a global court to deal with genocide and crimes against humanity. But Americans haven't heard about that, in part, because the U.S. government is staunchly opposed to it. Why?

For that, we turn to United Nations correspondent Richard Roth who will tell us why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For 82-year-old Benjamin Forenz (ph) walking through the corridors of the United Nations is just another stroll through history. In the last century, Forenz fought his way from the beaches of Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge. At 27, he was one of the prosecutors at the landmark war crimes trials of Nazi ringleaders in Nuremberg, but there were time limits on that court, and tribunals now considering acts of genocide and crimes against humanitarian in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

Forenz back at the United Nations to witness the creation of permanent international tribunal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on the verge of a create historical step forward. The first important development since the Nuremberg trial in which I participated over 50 years ago.

ROTH: Forenz and many U.N. countries are outraged the United States is refusing to join this first-ever international criminal court.

BRUCE BROOMHALL, CMTE. FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: It would be a profound mistake for the United States to erect roadblocks between itself and this process of creating a permanent international criminal court that will hold the future Pol Pots, Saddam Husseins, Milosevics of the world to account.

ROTH: In the final hours of the Clinton administration, the U.S. did sign the Criminal Court Treaty, but declined to send it to Congress for ratification, in the face of stiff opposition from the Pentagon and lawmakers who fear American soldiers could be targeted overseas. The Bush administration detest the courts so much, it plans to remove the U.S. signature from the treaty.

PIERRE PROSPER, U.S. WAR CRIMES AMBASSADOR: We believe it is flawed, and that there are insufficient safeguards in place to prevent a political prosecution rather than a prosecution based on law and facts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH: The base of this new court will be in the Hague. Right now here at the United Nations though, a key moment, more than 10 countries are depositing their ratifications of this treaty, thus putting it over the 60-nation total required to get this court going.

And, Paula, this court will not consider retroactive cases.

ZAHN: So, Richard, help us understand this morning how this court might apply to anything going on in the Middle East?

ROTH: Well, yesterday evening, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) told me, as soon as this court starts July 1st, the Palestinians are ready to try to submit documents and information about Israeli generals. However, it's not going to be that easy, because to be prosecuted by this court, the accused must be a citizen of a country that is part of this court, or a court must refer information from a nation that is part of this tribunal.

It is not going to be easy. That's why the people that back the court are telling the U.S. government, don't worry, there are a lot of checks and balances in the appeals process. A U.S. servicemen is not going to get hauled into the Hague that easily.

ZAHN: And would Israeli plan to use this court in any fashion?

ROTH: Israeli is not a member of this court at this time, and no indication yet of joining it.

ZAHN: All right, Richard Roth, thanks for educating us this morning. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com