US lists Taiwan as safe zone from world court

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday welcomed a US move to list Taiwan with NATO countries and other major American allies as a safe zone for US troops under new legislation related to the International Criminal Court.

"We affirm and welcome this legislation ... Taiwan was listed on the same level as NATO countries, Japan, South Korea and other US major allies, a move indicating that the US has attached importance to us," said Katharine Chang (張小月), spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chang's made the remarks in response to a part of the legislation, signed last Friday by US President George W. Bush, authorizing spending on recovery efforts for the Sept. 11 attacks and counter-terrorism activities.

The legislation bars Washington from sending troops to countries that cooperate with the international court. It says that ban doesn't apply in the case of NATO countries, Japan, South Korea, other major US allies, or Taiwan.

The legislation barred the US from sending troops to states that cooperate with the newly established court. But the legislation also states that the ban would not apply in the case of NATO countries, South Korea, Japan, other major US allies, or Taiwan.

China attacked the US last Saturday for putting Taiwan on the list. The state-run Xinhua agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan (孔泉) as saying that the US legislation "rampantly interferes in China's internal affairs."

Chang lashed out at the remarks made by her counterpart in Beijing, saying: "Taiwan has never been a part of the People's Republic of China."

When contacted by the Taipei Times, Robert Howes, spokesman of the American Institute in Taiwan, declined to comment on the new legislation.

While Taiwan was listed as a single unit in the legislation along with other countries, Taiwan is the only country on the list that does not have bilateral or multilateral security pacts with the US.

The International Criminal Court, which has been ratified by more than 70 countries, will have the power to try individuals for crimes committed anywhere in the world.

However, hours ahead of the court's opening in Hague on July 1, the US vetoed the renewal of the UN mission in Bosnia over concerns that its peacekeepers could be prosecuted by the court.

The US has said it fears that the court would infringe on US sovereignty and that American troops could become the target of politically motivated prosecutions.

But experts say Washington's concerns are groundless, because the court will only deal with cases that domestic courts are unable or unwilling to handle.