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UNITED NATIONS, June 13, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The United Nations Security Council agreed yesterday to approve the United States resolution demanding immunity for American peacekeepers from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC).  Canada attempted unsuccessfully to frustrate U.S. efforts demanding open debate outside the Council prior to the vote on the resolution.  Canadian ambassador to the United Nations Paul Heinbecker complained about the passage of the resolution going as far as to suggest it was not legal under international law.  He charged that the resolution “diminishes the importance of … justice for victims.”  UN Secretary General Kofi Annan also slammed the U.S. regarding the resolution.  He said he hoped the request for immunity “does not become an annual routing.”  Annan failed to mention however that the U.S. was forced to do a year by year request for immunity since EU members would not countenance permanent immunity.  Annan continued, “If that were to happen, it would undermine not only the authority of the ICC, but also the authority of this Council, and the legitimacy of United Nations peacekeeping.”  Arguments by the EU governments and Canada that the U.S. is overly concerned about politically motivated prosecutions against U.S. citizens is increasingly falling on deaf ears.  The National Post reports today that with regard to ICC politically motivated prosecutions, “such fears are not unfounded.  Already, international activists are trying to build a case for war crimes charges against U.S. and British personnel over civilian deaths in the bombing of Iraq.”  (Steven Edwards, National Post, June 13, 2003)