Security Council authorizes peacekeeking force in Liberia

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, August 02, 2003

Security Council authorizes peacekeeking force in Liberia

The United Nations Security Council on Friday passed a US-drafted resolution for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Liberia.

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The United Nations Security Council on Friday passed a US-drafted resolution for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Liberia.

The 15-member council passed Resolution 1497 by a vote of 12-0 with three abstentions: France, Germany and Mexico. The three countries do not agree with the provision insisted on by the United States that allows any crime by a peacekeeper to be prosecuted only by their own governments.

While laying the groundwork for US involvement,the resolution does not spell out what role, if any, the US soldiers would play.

In a brief statement before the vote, German ambassador to the UN Gunter Pleu said that Germany cannot support paragraph 7 of thedraft resolution as it not only limits the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), it limits the national jurisdiction of third countries.

"There is no precedence for this, and there is no reason to limit the national jurisdiction of third countries, there is no justification to discriminate peacekeepers from countries of members of ICC. Therefore, we feel that this paragraph is not in accordance with international and Germany law. We regret not beingable to accept this paragraph," he said.

The United States has been pushing for a quick vote on the resolution, which also called for the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in Liberia by Oct. 1 to replace the multinational force.

However, provision of exemption of peacekeepers from prosecution of ICC became a stumbling block in negotiations. To reconcile the difference, Britain proposed an amendament to the provision, which would only allow peacekeepers from those nations that are not parties to the ICC to enjoy the blanket exemption.

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