[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 107-1

  Mr. BAYH. Madam President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the Injunction of Secrecy be removed from the following 
convention transmitted to the Senate on January 3, 2001, by the 
President of the United States: Convention on Safety of U.N. and 
Associated Personnel (Treaty Document No. 107-1).
  Further, I ask unanimous consent the convention be considered as 
having been read for the first time, that it be referred with 
accompanying papers to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered 
to be printed, and that the President's messages be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The messages of the President are as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  I transmit herewith, with a view to receiving the advice and consent 
of the Senate to ratification, subject to an understanding and a 
reservation, the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and 
Associated Personnel adopted by the United Nations General Assembly by 
consensus on December 9, 1994, and signed on behalf of the United 
States of America on December 19, 1994. The report of the Department of 
State with respect to the Convention is also transmitted for the 
information of the Senate.
  Military peacekeepers, civilian police, and others associated with 
United Nations operations are often subject to attack by persons who 
perceive political benefits from directing violence against United 
Nations operations. The world has witnessed a serious escalation of 
such attacks, resulting in numerous deaths and casualties. This 
Convention is designed to provide a measure of deterrence against these 
attacks, by creating a regime of universal criminal jurisdiction for 
offenses of this type. Specifically, the Convention creates a legal 
mechanism that requires submission for prosecution or extradition of 
persons alleged to have committed attacks and other offenses listed 
under the Convention against United Nations and associated personnel.
  This Convention provides a direct benefit to United States Armed 
Forces and to U.S. civilians participating in peacekeeping activities 
by including within its coverage a number of types of operations 
pursuant to United Nations mandates in which the United States and U.S. 
military and civilians have participated in the past. If the United 
States were to participate in operations under similar conditions in 
the future, its forces and civilians would receive the benefits created 
by this instrument. The Convention covers not only forces under U.N. 
command, but associated forces under national command or multinational 
forces present pursuant to a United Nations mandate. In situations such 
as we have seen in Somalia, the former Yugoslavia, and Haiti, certain 
attacks on these associated forces would now be recognized as criminal 
acts, subjecting the attackers to prosecution in or extradition by any 
State that is a party to the Convention. As a result, the international 
community has taken a significant practical step to redress these 
incidents. In doing so, we recognize the fact that attacks on 
peacekeepers who represent the international community are violations 
of law and cannot be condoned.
  By creating obligations and procedures that increase the likelihood 
of prosecution of those who attack peacekeeping personnel, this 
Convention fulfills an important objective under my Directive for 
Reforming Multilateral Peace Operations of May 1994, which directs that 
the United States seek additional legal protections for United States 
peacekeeping personnel.
  The recommended legislation, necessary to implement the Convention, 
will be submitted to the Congress separately.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
this Convention subject to the understanding and reservation that are 
described in the accompanying report of the Department of State, and 
give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
The White House, January 3, 2001.

                          ____________________