Athens bar association to file suit against Blair over Iraq
The Athens Bar Association was scheduled Monday to lodge a complaint with the International Criminal Court against Prime Minister Tony Blair's government for what it said were crimes against humanity in Iraq.
The president of the association, Dimitris Paxinos, said in a radio interview that he did not expect the court to summon Blair to testify but added that this was a decision to be taken by the tribunal in The Hague.
________
The Greek public and all the main political parties overwhelmingly opposed the US-led war in Iraq.
However, the United States has challenged the court's jurisdiction over Americans and has put pressure on other nations not to extradite US troops and other Americans charged with human rights and war crimes.
Paxinos said the bar association had not brought a similar case against US President George W. Bush because the United States had not ratified the treaty setting up the International Criminal Court and is therefore outside its jurisdiction.
Jordan Times July 29, 2003
