"We will have to oppose all further spending for a NATO headquarters in Brussels,” Rumsfeld

BRUSSELS, June 12 (Islamonline.net & News Agencies) – U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld attacked Belgium Thursday, June 12, over a controversial law allowing lawsuits against foreigners for war crimes, saying Washington would oppose funding for a new NATO headquarters there until the legal threat is withdrawn.

"These suits are absurd," he said, referring to lawsuits brought under Belgium's universal competence law, including one recent case against the U.S. commander during the Iraq war, Agence- France- Presse(AFP) reported Friday, June 13.

For his part,  Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel rejected the criticism, saying he "did not understand the attitude of the United States, or Mr. Rumsfeld's anyway".

 “We amended the universal competence law to delete provisions that worried countries like Israel and the United States," Belga news agency quoted Michel as saying.

"No we can send the suits to the country of origin" of any given suspect, he said, adding: "We cannot do any better."

 The 1993 law allows Belgian courts to judge suspects accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, regardless of where the alleged acts were committed or the nationality of the accused or the victims.

Concrete Warning

Other U.S. leaders, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, have warned that the law could threaten Belgium's standing as home to international institutions including the European Union and NATO.

But Rumsfeld launched the most concrete warning yet of consequences if the law remains unchanged. "Belgium needs to recognize that there are consequences to those actions," Rumsfeld told reporters at a meeting of NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels.

"For our part, we will have to seriously consider whether we can allow our civilian and military officials to come to Belgium," he added.

"Until the status is resolved, we will have to oppose all further spending for a NATO headquarters in Brussels until we know with certainty Belgium intends to be a hospitable place."

Profound Implications

NATO earlier this year launched plans for a hi-tech designed new headquarters, near to its current ageing compound on the outskirts of the Belgian capital. The new headquarters is set to be built by the end of the decade.

Commenting on the Belgian law, NATO chief George Robertson stopped short Thursday of saying that it could threaten NATO's continued presence in Belgium, but warned that there would be "profound implications" if the situation remains unchanged.

"There is genuine concern, especially by the United States but by other countries as well about the way in which this law is being implemented. Clearly it is a matter that we are looking at with concern," he said.

 He added there was a problem in particular in the kind of prosecutions brought under the law. "I think everybody wants to see a much clearer position".

"If senior politicians and military commanders are inhibited from coming to NATO meetings here then that has got profound implications for the way in which this Alliance operates," he told reporters.

Hoon “Understands”

Weighing in, British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said Friday, June 13, a Belgian law permitting war crimes law suits against foreigners was a matter of "great concern," backing up critical comments on the controversial law by his U.S. counterpart Donald Rumsfeld.

"It's a matter of great concern and I well understand why he (Rumsfeld) raised it and raised it in such a vigorous way," Hoon told reporters as he arrived in Brussels.

The disputed law has led to lawsuits against former U.S. President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Powell dating from the 1991 Gulf war, and more recently against General Tommy Franks, the U.S. commander in Iraq invasion this year.

However, a recent modification of the law limits its powers, notably allowing for cases to be sent to the defendants' country of origin - which Belgium did in the cases against General Franks in May.

Also, a Belgian court , earlier this week, gave the green light for a lawsuit against an Israeli general for alleged crimes against humanity under the disputed law, further straining diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The Israeli embassy immediately called on Belgian authorities to intervene and block the legal action against General Amos Yaron over the 1982 massacre at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut.

"This affair is today in the hands of the Belgian government," said Israeli embassy counselor Daniel Saada.

In February Israel withdrew its ambassador to Brussels over a lawsuit filed against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon under the disputed law. The case has been stopped because Sharon had immunity due to his public office.