Phnom Penh, June 27: Phnom Penh and Washington today signed a deal that will exempt US citizens on Cambodian soil from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC), officials said. The deal on the so-called article 98 of the ICC agreement was inked after US secretary of state Colin Powell raised the exemption issue in talks with prime minister Hun Sen during a visit here last week. The US fears the ICC could become a forum for politically motivated prosecutions of its citizens and has launched a campaign to secure bilateral immunity deals since the court came into being in July last year. Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong said, after the signing with US ambassador to Phnom Penh Charles Ray, that Washington's deepening role in combating terrorism had justified the exemption. "Taking into account the role, the big role, of the US in combating terrorism, we accept to sign this agreement with the US for the sake of the whole international community's (war) against terrorism", he said.

The article 98 agreement is controversial, particularly in Europe where the European union -- which supports the court -- has campaigned to limit the scope of deals signed with the US by EU members or aspirants.

To date, the US has signed article 98 agreements with 39 countries.

Bureau Report