from a special correspondent.
Despite various attempts at obstruction, the International War Crimes Tribunal is to open in Paris later this month. The following press release was issued on April 17th by the War Crimes Tribunal office:
The International War Crimes Tribunal, which is investigating allegations of American war crimes against the people of Vietnam, was inaugurated in London last November, when it agreed its intention to meet in full, solemn session in Paris this Spring.
The International War Crimes Tribunal announces that its First Session in Paris, originally planned to start at the Hotel Continental on April 26th, will now take place on the 29th April until the 9th May at the Municipal Theatre, Issyles-Moulineaux (Salle des Sports).
At this opening session the Tribunal will deliberate on two of the five questions which its published Aims and Objectives commit it to examine. These questions are:
1. Has the United States Government (and the Governments of Australia,
New Zealand and South Korea) committed acts of aggression according
to international law?
Zs Has there been bombardment of targets of a purely civilian character,
for example, hospitals, schools, sanatoria, dams, etc., and on what
scale has this occurred?
In carrying out its enquiry the Tribunal will examine evidence from individual witnesses, as well as from the Investigating Teams of lawyers, doctors, surgeons, and other specialists who have spent the past months in Vietnam and Cambodia on behalf of the Tribunal. The date and place of further sessions will be announced in Paris during the course of the present proceedings.
The Tribunal will be open to the world's Press and to invited members of the public. Requests for further information should be addressed to:
Geoff Coggan,
Press Officer,
International War Crimes Tribunal,
11A, Wormwood Street, LONDON, E.C.2.
Tel. 588-5064, 588-1924, 588~1925.