Jordan backs U.S. on war crimes court
Americans get immunity, Jordan keeps financial aid
Sunday, January 8, 2006; Posted: 5:54 p.m. EST (22:54 GMT)
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- Jordan on Sunday approved an agreement that gives American citizens in Jordan immunity against prosecution for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
The lower house of parliament approved the agreement, which had already been passed by the upper house last year.
Approval by both houses ratifies the agreement. King Abdullah II, who has already approved the measure, is expected to issue a royal decree making it law.
The bilateral agreement says that any U.S. national -- or non-national working for the U.S. government -- accused by the court will be surrendered by Jordan to U.S. custody, rather than to the international court in The Hague, Netherlands.
Opponents of the agreement said it violated Jordan's 2002 signing of the Rome statute that helped bring the court into being.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/08/jordan.us.ap/index.html