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CNN Live Sunday

U.S. Vetoes U.N. Resolution to Extend Peacekeeping Operation in Bosnia

Aired June 30, 2002 - 18:07   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. has vetoed a resolution to extend United Nations peacekeeping operations in Bosnia. CNN's Brian Palmer is on the phone with us from U.N. headquarters in New York to tell us what this all means -- Brian.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Carol. We're trying to figure out what it all means now, but we are at a textbook impasse. The United States has voted against a resolution that would extend the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia 13-1, that's Ambassador John Negroponte. He said that the sticking point is the International Criminal Court, which goes into effect tomorrow in The Hague. This court would be empowered to try peacekeepers, soldiers, people from various countries who sign this treaty for essentially war crimes. The U.S. says they will not accept any international jurisdiction over its soldiers, its sailors or its Marines.

So where are we now? The members of the Security Council are now in consultations. The U.S. voted against the resolution. They've gone back to the table in a closed meeting to figure out where they go from now. The Bosnia mission has another roughly six hours to go before that mandate ends.

Now, no one expects U.S. troops -- well, there are no U.S. troops, but the handful of U.S. participants in what is a mission of police monitors to just walk out of Bosnia at 12:01, but they do expect something to happen. So they're trying to avert that now. The U.S. is going to be meeting with the other 14 members now in this closed session, and they're going to try and hammer something out over the next five hours and 50 minutes, Carol.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Brian Palmer, with the latest there from the United Nations. We're sure to be watching that story throughout the evening.

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