Central America, EU Face
off on Penal Court
Central America and the
European Union may have
difficulties reaching an
association agreement
due to European
requirement for
ratification of the
Statutes of Rome of the
International Penal
Court.
El Salvador´s Assistant
Foreign Minister Eduardo
Calix said that, while
the topic is a key
political one for EU,
Central America
considers respect for
the positions of each
country fundamental.
This is the position
Central America defends
in Brussels, where the
second negotiation round
on the topic began
Monday, reported
Salvadoran newspaper La
Prensa Grafica.
EU wants to add all
Central American
countries to the
Statutes of Rome, which
only Costa Rica and
Honduras have ratified
in the region.
Dario Lobo, president of
the Central American
Court of Justice, said
that although these
regulations are to
prosecute and judge
human rights violations
and crimes against
humanity, not everyone
has confidence in an
International Penal
Court.
"There are many people
and institutions
interested in fostering
criminal processes at an
international level, but
perhaps there are not
enough guarantees," he
added.
Central America changed
45 percent of the texts
of the political and
cooperation chapters
proposed by EU in the
first round, held in
Costa Rica, where the EU
insisted that it would
not negotiate with a
divided region.
"The agreement will
eminently be a political
one. This has three
dimensions: politics,
trade and cooperation,
but based on a political
relationship to which we
want to aspire, together
with EU, the Salvadoran
minister concluded. |
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