The United States has withdrawn a UN Security Council resolution seeking an exemption for its soldiers from prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
The US move was prompted by a lack of support for the motion following repeated allegations of abuse of prisoners in Iraq.
"The United States has decided not to proceed further with consideration and action on the draft at this time in order to avoid a prolonged and divisive debate," said James Cunningham, the US deputy ambassador.
"We are dropping action on this resolution."
Washington in the past has threatened to veto UN peacekeeping missions if the resolution giving it immunity from the new International Criminal Court were not adopted.
Cunningham would not comment about whether it would carry out the threat this time.
The United States has rarely faced such opposition in the council, with the notable exception of its attempt to get UN endorsement for the invasion of Iraq last year. Since then, the council has backed Washington on its plans in Iraq, with far less acrimony than before the war.
But this year's specter of US abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan made it difficult for members to extend the resolution for the third time, even though analysts say the scandal would not come before the new tribunal, based in The Hague, Netherlands.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan helped harden the position in the council by telling members last week to oppose the measure, saying it sent an "unfortunate signal any time - but particularly at this time."
The Bush administration needed a minimum of nine votes in the 15-member Security Council for an exemption from the new International Criminal Court. But more than seven countries signaled they would abstain.
The resolution was first adopted in 2002 after the Untied States began to veto UN peacekeeping operations. It was renewed again last year. The current exemption will run out June 30, the date on which the US-led occupation in Iraq is to hand over sovereignty to an interim government.