Kampala — The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation, Sigurd Illing, yesterday cautioned Ugandans against being lured by the United States into signing the article 98 agreement granting diplomatic immunity to a certain category of people not to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The US is the only major power that has refused to ratify the Rome treaty that established the ICC, arguing that it does not want its citizens tried by the ICC.

"We are aware of the forceful attempt by the US to convince the government of Uganda together with 100 other countries to sign the so-called Article 98 agreements, known as ' impunity agreements," Illing, said at an MP workshop on safeguarding the integrity of the ICC at Hotel Africana.

"Such agreements basically seek to assure that a wide class of persons may be shielded from justice if they are implicated in crimes that fall under the ICC jurisdiction."

The workshop was sponsored by the EU and organised by the Eastern Africa Human Rights Network. The majority of the participants opposed signing, saying the agreement would weaken the ICC.