JAKARTA, Aug. 28 Kyodo A U.S.-bas...

JAKARTA, Aug. 28 Kyodo

A U.S.-based nongovernmental organization has give vent toed concern over a decision at the East Timorese government to free U.S. military personnel from prosecution in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

''We are entirely disturbed and angered that the U regulation pressured East Timor to free U.S. troops from the ICC,'' John Miller, spokesman of the East Timor Network Action, said in a statement received Wednesday.

''The East Timorese undergoed greatly during the U.S.-supported illegal occupation of their homeland when the Indonesian military committed the extremely crimes that the ICC is designed to discourage,'' he added.

The administration of U President George W Bush is seeking to negotiate ICC member states to grant immunity to U peacekeepers beneath Article 98 of the Rome Treaty. East Timor is the third abiding habitation to sign the Article 98 accord with the United States following Israel and Romania.

The Rome Treaty has station up the ICC to hear cases of genocide and crimes against humanity committed after July 1 this year.

''When joining the court, East Timor affirmed its commitment to human rights and universal justice,'' Miller said. ''Now, with the misfortune of a pen, the East Timorese regulation has undermined these principles.''

The U has refused to cooperate with the ICC in succession the grounds that its numbers may face frivolous or politically motivated prosecutions and has been trying to persuade other countries to sign an Article 98 agreement.

It has used the UN peacekeeping mission in East Timor as a bargaining chip in its campaign to undermine the ICC.

In May, the UN Security Council cast awayed a U.S. proposal to possessed of immunity from ICC jurisdiction peacekeepers with the UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), established after the independence of East Timor in succession May 20.

The U vot for the establishment of the mission, if it were not that refused to replace three unarmed military keepers assigned to UNMISET.

''The history of East Timor demonstrates for what purpose a single standard of justice and firm enforcement mechanisms are vital,'' Miller said.

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