Global briefs
COLOMBIA: The "Bogota Three" who were accused of being IRA members, were released after being cleared of training FARC guerrillas. They were jailed in Colombia in August 2001. They were, however, convicted of travelling on false passports. Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan had travelled from to Colombia to observe the ongoing peace process and to share their experiences of the Irish peace process. Peace advocates from around the world, had travelled to Colombia to take part in the process.* * * USA: The United States has demanded that the European Union abandon its ban on growing of genetically modified (GM) crops and pay at least $1.8 billion in compensation for loss of exports over the past six years. The World Trade Organisation has to adjudicate at the end of May and if it finds in favour of the US, the WTO will decide what trade sanctions can be imposed on the EU. The case has global implications because if the US can force the EU into submission, then no country will be able to remain GM-free without facing strong trade sanctions. There is a very strong consumer resistance to genetic modification in Europe and several countries have already introduced rules banning GM imports for growing or in food.* * * IRAN: Iranian victims of chemical attacks said they would take the USA to the International Court of Justice in The Hague for supplying weapons of mass destruction that had scarred them. Iran's society of Victims of Weapons of Mass Destruction demanded compensation from Washington and US firms, saying they supplied poison gases to Saddam Hussein's Iraq during his 1980-1988 war against Iran. Iran has thousands of invalids, victims of chemical attacks. "The US Government issued over 780 licences allowing US companies to export sensitive weapons components", the group said in a letter delivered to the Swiss Embassy, which covers US interests in Tehran. An Iranian court said that the US should pay US$600 million in compensation to survivors of attacks on the town of Sardasht which borders Iraq.* * * IRAQ: The tribunal that will try former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is taking shape, following the appointment of US- trained Iraqi magistrate Salem Chalabi to head the court. Mr Chalabi is the nephew of Ahmad Chalabi, a member of the US- appointed interim Governing Council who is known for his close links to the Pentagon.* * * AFGHANISTAN: Three young girls in eastern Afghanistan were in a critical condition last week after being poisoned by militants as punishment for attending school. Vikram Parech, from the International Crisis Group, said there had been a series of attacks on girls' schools in recent months, but this was the first time children had been attacked.* * * POLAND: The Russian newsagency Itar-Tass reports that the new Polish premier Marek Belka plans to pull out Polish troops from Iraq by the end of the year unless there is a UN resolution. Vice-premier Izabella-Novacka said, "I personally was against dispatching our troops to Iraq from the very beginning without a UN sanction. They are treated now as invaders." The agency also quotes the Ukrainian Prime Minister as saying that the Ukraine might recall its servicemen from Iraq if the UN does not exercise control over the situation.