UNITED NATIONS, Aug 25: The United States on Monday blocked the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution on strengthening protection of humanitarian workers in conflict zones, diplomats said.

The resolution, proposed by Mexico, was to have been voted on Monday by the council, but this has been put back at least 24 hours following objections made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

The resolution is considered more important following the bomb attack last week on the UN offices in Baghdad which left 24 dead, including the UN envoy to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

The United States was said to be considering a veto because the Mexican resolution included a reference to the International Criminal Court, which is opposed by the United States.

Mr Powell made an approach to Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez to get the vote delayed, said diplomats who predicted protracted talks on the wording.

The Mexican resolution says: “Recalling that attacks intentionally directed against personnel involved in a humanitarian assistance or peacekeeping mission in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations are a war crime in accordance with the Rome Statute of the Internatonal Criminal Court, which entered into force on 1 July, 2002, and the need for states to end impunity for such acts.”

So far Mexico has not agreed to delete language on the court, which the Bush administration vehemently opposes as an infringement of US sovereignty and a potential prosecutor of frivolous lawsuits against US officials abroad. The other 14 Security Council members are said to favour the text.

Spurred by the devastation of UN headquarters in Baghdad, Mexico circulated the resolution — co-sponsored by Bulgaria, France, Germany, Russia and Syria — telling nations to prosecute those who used violence against UN staff and other humanitarian assistance personnel.

The draft’s preamble notes that attacks directed against humanitarian workers constitute a war crime under the statutes of the International Criminal Court, which was inaugurated in March and is strongly supported by the 15 European Union members.

The resolution urges nations to prosecute perpetrators of crimes against UN workers and those from other relief or nongovernmental organizations engaged in humanitarian efforts.

It says they should adopt laws ensuring that violence against humanitarian workers is a criminal offence.

Mexico drafted the resolution several months ago, but did not put it to a vote because of US objections. But the disaster in Baghdad caused it to revive the measure.

Among the 23 people killed were Sergio Vieira de Mello, the 55-year-old Brazilian head of mission who was often mentioned as a future UN secretary-general, and his chief of staff, Egyptian Nadia Younes, who had held many top posts in the world body for decades.—Reuters