US to block funds over Belgian law

US: Washington has said it will block further spending on NATO's new headquarters in Brussels because of a Belgian law which…

US: Washington has said it will block further spending on NATO's new headquarters in Brussels because of a Belgian law which gives courts power to try foreigners for human rights crimes.

"It would obviously not be easy for US officials . . . to come to Belgium for meetings," the Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, said yesterday. "Therefore our position is that it would not make much sense to build a new headquarters if they can't come here for meetings."

At a NATO news conference, he declined to say whether the US would ultimately want to see the headquarters moved away from Belgium, but he added: "It's perfectly possible to meet elsewhere."

- (Reuters)