HC Deb 21 October 2002 vol 391 cc37-8W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts within the European Union regarding a common EU position on bilateral agreements with the United States regarding the exemption of US citizens from the ICC. [76014]

Mr. MacShane

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had a number of discussions with his EU counterparts about the US government's request for bilateral agreements under Article 98.2 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in the period leading up to the GAER Council on 30 September. At that meeting, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Europe (Peter Hain), agreed Conclusions and General Principles on the handling of the US request, consistent with the ICC Statute.