[Marxism] US presses Uruguayan govt to guarantee war crimes immunity to US forces

[Fred Feldman]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

US Pressuring Uruguay to Support Immunity for Military

Montevideo, Dec 10 (Prensa Latina) The US government is pressuring 
Uruguay to sign an agreement of diplomatic immunity for its military, 
thus preventing them from being tried at the International Penal Court, 
La Republica daily informed Friday.

US Ambassador in Montevideo Martin Silverstein was the one who 
transmitted US President George W. Bush's proposal to Uruguayan 
President Elect Tabare Vazquez, the daily reads.

The White House intends the new Uruguayan government elect approves an 
agreement that would allow diplomatic immunity for the US military 
accused of human rights violations in the world, which has found strong 
rejection in other regional countries.

An investment agreement signed between the governments of Bush and 
former Uruguayan President Jorge Batlle, still to be approved at the 
Uruguayan Parliament in February, is also worrying Washington, as the 
current Uruguayan Parliament is mostly progressive.

The delicate topic of Washington's requests to Montevideo could also 
be included in the agenda of the meeting that Silverstein plans to hold 
with appointed Uruguayan Foreign Minister Reinaldo Gargano, who will 
assume his post in March 2005.