NATO hopefuls to feel US pressure over ICC

NATO officials confirmed on 29 August 2002 that the US is pressurising NATO applicants to sign bilateral accords exempting US personnel serving abroad from prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Romania, which ratified the ICC Treaty in April 2002 has signed an accord. The other six applicants wishing to join NATO in November 2002 (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria) have not signed accords. European Union diplomats have pointed out, however, that the US could forge separate Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) with any country where its troops are based. Under such an agreement members of a military force sent to another state would usually be exempt from the host state's criminal jurisdiction