WASHINGTON — In a last-minute concession to human rights activists, President Clinton on Sunday authorized the United States to sign a treaty creating the world's first permanent court for crimes against humanity.
Sunday was the deadline for signing the accord on the proposed International Criminal Court, which would try people accused of extreme human rights violations--a role that its supporters say is neglected in the global legal system.
But the treaty must still be ratified by a wary Congress, where some Republicans--who fear that it could lead to politically motivated cases against U.S. citizens--vehemently oppose it.
Clinton, on vacation at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, said the tribunal would make a "profound contribution" to combating human rights abuses around the world.
"In taking this action, we join more than 130 other countries," Clinton said in a statement. "We do so to reaffirm our strong support for international accountability and for bringing to justice perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity."
A few hours after Clinton's announcement, David Scheffer, the U.S. ambassador at large for war crimes issues, signed the treaty on behalf of the United States.
Israel, another holdout, followed suit and signed the treaty late Sunday.
Because of the strong feelings the treaty engenders, the White House announcement handed a potential controversy to President-elect George W. Bush. While it is not clear what position Bush will take once he enters the White House, he has indicated at least some reservations about the agreement.
Human rights groups had been urging Clinton to act before leaving office.
"As a strong proponent of justice for the victims of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, you would leave an important legacy by signing the court's treaty," Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, recently wrote in a letter to Clinton.
But others question whether the United States should bind itself to a legal effort with other countries that may have much weaker rules of law. Under the treaty, the International Criminal Court would have some jurisdiction over crimes committed by nationals of countries that ratify it, as well as over crimes committed in the territory of those nations.
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Concern is centered on U.S. military personnel because of this country's frequent involvement in overseas crises.
