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Friday, October 28, 2005 · Last updated 4:21 p.m. PT

Mexico ratifies war crimes tribunal treaty

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

UNITED NATIONS -- Mexico became the 100th country to ratify the treaty founding the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal, which the United States has opposed.

Mexico's U.N. Ambassador Juan Manuel Gomez Robledo delivered his nation's ratification in a ceremony at the U.N. secretariat. The only significance of Mexico becoming the 100th signatory was symbolic, because the International Criminal Court came into being in 2002 after 60 countries had signed its founding treaty.

The United States argues that the court could be used for frivolous or politically motivated prosecutions of American troops.

The issue appears to be the latest point of contention between Mexico and the U.S. Relations between the neighbors have been strained by Mexico's opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq and over immigration policies.

In addition, Mexico had already made it clear earlier this year that it would not sign a pact to grant U.S. military personnel immunity from the court.

The court, which has yet to put defendants on trial, issued its first arrest warrants - for five members of Uganda's notoriously cruel Lord's Resistance Army - earlier this month. It is also investigating alleged crimes against humanity in Sudan's Darfur region and atrocities in Congo.