IMF chief could try to leverage his status as quasi-diplomat Immunity defense would be hard for Strauss-Kahn ATLANTA, May 16, (RTRS): If IMF expert in international law argued. process “relating to acts performed by nal actions. The Wall Street Journal from “action relating to any profession- rate case, which found that hiring Managing Director Dominique “Acts immunity only covers actions them in their official capacity.” reported in October 2008 that Taylor al or commercial activity exercised by household workers for assistance dur-Strauss-Kahn decides to seek diplomat- taken in the course of his duties. On Sunday, New York Police also represented Strauss-Kahn in the the diplomatic agent in the receiving ing diplomatic service is covered by ic immunity to avoid sexual assault Coming out of your bathroom stark Department spokesman Paul Browne controversy over an affair the married State outside his official functions.” the Vienna Convention’s immunity charges, he will likely have an uphill naked and attacking a chambermaid said Strauss-Kahn does not have diplo- IMF chief allegedly had with a female The issue has come up in recent provisions. climb, a Reuters review of US and internationallawsandtreaties,pGraoubbaabtlzy,adnoeassns’otcqiautaelifpyr,o”feKssuortriTnaytlhoerbnmeolatiteicveelisabmdoimrpaultoneimtya,otincthiomwuhgmyhunitBthryeodwonNeesYnPdioDdtsrSueusbnpodoradnyid.nattoeartetqhueesFtsunfdo.rTacyolmormedindtnoonthfTyoaehrvarereiesgeinfnidldoceiidmpvleiolsftecmiadcaseterswsalioinrnklttaehhrweessUuUeintnmisittpeelodadlylSSettdgaatitenbesgsy.eUwenhsOiitconehfdaMSaatlssraetocnehisaofl2ril5le,egQdefasotaausrsriiemfxdoiiulrpaamlrloeaarmbsausetsameuilpnctl,aotshyie-en, International Monetary Fund policies Graduate Program in International and recent US court rulings suggests. Studies at Old Dominion U . UndertheIMF’sArticlesofwroteinablogpostonniSvuenrdsiatyy,aCCpohpnalsryr.uileAart,esrpeifonekrerNseewdwoqmuYeaosnrtikfo,orMtahbreieuF-trLeanucrheforOSnterapuossss-iKblaehDleefcgeaonlusldeunerpdedaiporeyehtrewryttotbedegyterastensfedeflaroesidictrcotturWinben.Tongtoashiamyree,htuserlnotmdpercseyreeeatpoommsebiecK-ssuartSoiva-rtoafllaimesclarhknerleegwaoidlpierthttdaherdvanyllcasihyhT.desubayllab Agreement,employeesaregrantedaGaubatzdidnotrespondtorequestsforsiblediploicimmunitnystaotoheIpMosF-.applytheViennnaConventionsonedtheFairLaborStandards,andthatdefensethatclaimsdiplomaticimmu-limited form of diplomatic immunity additional comment. mat known as “acts immunity,” which refer to actions related to activities per- Federal law inDitfhfeicUulntethenhsitirepapswntmeospAstetandaynSuteoebsiFMWehInotetde.suishetsserddatondidesucitnorfmopormmunitytbroadiot-ciRlentaiDlpmotaichgranions,whoneraytpmexetprmrofioutecostehitneinueJtrBdt,SLta.syemtsyaa formed in the course of their work for theFund.ArticleIXoftheagreementaolsoclmiakeidtipdlioffimcautlitcfoirmSmtruanuistsy-.KaThhnevidDeedspibtethelimitedimmunitypro-diplomatsservinginforeignjurisdic-undertheViennaConventions’exempTelegraphreportedthatPakistani notes that the Fund’s staff “shall be t a m immunefromlegalprocesswithregardInternationalOrganizationsImmunitiescouldstilyltrIyMtoFlervuelreasg,ehSitsrasutastsu-sKaashnat“iiaotyndsi.fprlAoormtmicatltheice3a1cgreionfmttihsnehalaclljounervnisejodnitycitoiinmonsmauoy-fsjthMiuiodsonsgtefoorsfrefhic“aceicvnaoetllmdy,ifmsuoemnnriccstiAisaoplenrdaislc.at”l2il6v,iotBfyUutt.S.h.eofDceiuadsttsserieridsace.ltiaItnlhlMvreoeFgs’wtasitiigPnoaagtnkosihrstestrhaadntoruuoPtnpaipout,feldatRbhaouessnirse,idhnhhoqeiuasmiderw.yoiff“ieTntbthhoeye to acts performed by them in their offi- Act applies a limited scope of exemp- quasi-diplomat in his legal defense. n cial capacity.” Even then, the agree- tion from prosecution similar to the One of his attorneys is William Taylor, the receiving State.” The US ratified Judge James Boasberg in Washington police officer dealing with the case said ment says, the IMF may elect to waive IMF’s own rules. It says “representa- a partner with law firm Zuckerman the treaty in 1972. The treaty also ren- threw out a case alleging that Lebanese that as soon as they found out that Mr. immunity. tives of foreign governments in or to Spaeder in Washington. Taylor has rep- ders diplomats immune from prosecu- Ambassador Antoine Chedid and his Ross had diplomatic status they aban-The IMF’s limited immunity provi- international organizations” and resented a range of high-profile clients, tion in civil and administrative matters, wife underpaid and verbally abused doned the case,” the Telegraph report-sion is unlikely to protect Strauss-Kahn “employees of such organizations” are including former White House chief of with some exceptions. Under the con- their maid. His decision relied, in part, ed. At the time, the IMF said it was from prosecution for sexual assault, an immune from lawsuits and the legal staff Mack McLarty, in civil and crimi- vention, diplomats are not immune ona State Department filing in a sepa- conducting an internal inquiry. Tolerance tested F rance French media shielded DSK PARIS, May 16, (AFP): France tradi-tionally indulges the sexual peccadillos of its leaders, but Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s arrest marks the first time the electorate’s tolerance has been tested by an attempted rape charge. The IMF leader plans to plead not guilty to charges he sexually assaulted and tried to rape a chambermaid, but the allegations surfaced in the United States, where top politicians do not enjoy the protection of privacy laws. The man known as “DSK” was seen as the frontrunner in next year’s presi-dential election without even having declared himself a candidate, and the sight of such a heavyweight in police handcuffs has astonished France. It has also ruffled the veil of secrecy that separates the French voting public from the after-hours antics of the Parisian political elite. Of course the charges against DSK are much more serious than those of simple infidelity that are invariably recounted — often with a certain sym-pathy — about French politicians many years after the fact. But the news brought back to the sur-face previous allegations against him, allegations that in a less forgiving polit-ical environment would have brought his soaring career to a halt before the weekend’s Shakespearian drama. Instead, he lived protected by the media and political omerta that has shielded many French leaders — including recent heads of state. Jacques Chirac’s active and varied sex life never appeared in the popular prints during his long public career which culminated in his tenure as pres-ident between 1995 and 2007, despite constant rumours. “He had great success. Handsome man, with a winning way, fun. The girls ran after him,” Chirac’s wife Bernadette revealed to an interviewer in 2001, without bitterness. The couple are still together. Chirac’s immediate predecessor Francois Mitterrand was even more successful in keeping his private life private. wasDominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the International Monetary Fund, is lead from a police station on May 15, in New York where he being held. (AP) His illegitimate daughter Mazarine remained a secret for the first 20 years of her life and his entire presidency.IMF chief sex assault charge rocks politics Households That Mitterrand had maintained French public, although questionsDSK throws open French election two households did not offend the were asked over his use of public money to house Mazarine, and over PARIS, May 16, (Agencies): Sexual ex ence as he has never been a histappingjournalists’phonestopro-assaultchargesagainstthemantippedovpeerrinmentminister.FranceonMondaywhenalawyersaidprimary,withtheline-uptobething.” tecthissecrets.tobeFrance’snextpresidenthavegFrenchiTeleTVcommentatorhciosmclpileanitn,taagwariintsetr,himmigohvtefrilaenaalleleggaledtdheeclsahreodckbfyoJrutlhye.lHeeft,saSitdratuhsast-dKeashpniteSuySorceigarliosutpleifadSetrraMusasr-tiKnaehAnuisbrtyakoenn In previous centuries the culture of thrown open the 2012 election, secrecysurroundingthepresidentialimprovingNicolasSarkozy’schancesMichaelDarmonsaidcurrentprearatdysexualassaultalmostadecadeago.shouldbeconsideredinnocentforoutoftherunningfornextyear’selec-bedchambersometimeslastedalife-ofreelectionandleavingthelefttcohitehfroMwarhtienrehAatuibryhwoas“noty”“Weareconsideringfilingacom-now.tion.andcalledthenewsa“thunder-time.scramblingtofindanewstarcandi-couldjointheracen.,tughotherstpelxatinmt,e”slsaawgeyetroDRaevuitdersK,oruefbebririsnaigdtionacer“nAesdabpyairttyanwdearaeredcelaelairnlgywciothn-it,bolTth”.eIMFchief’swoesdeepenedfur-In 1899, when president Felix Faure date.Pollsrty’tPaalisSocihtkoeoutbttaecalpincegedtthiden,tcatniasillmianasretetiadnofaythaaFrgmetedheronMtorTsire,rwticnhiston,Bantane died,allegedlyinflagrantedelicto,theEvenifDominiqueStrauss-KahnisPollshdpredictedSarkozycomingewmhepntyshaepawrtemntenttoiinnt2e0r0v2iewhiminanitw’islltonobteaatbaNnidcoolnatshSata,r”khoezysaaind.dwemraekeacomplaintallegingthat JournalduPeuplenewspaperascribedeventuallyclearedofchargesthatinthirdinaanelectionfirstround,Scandalier00n2a2,orccgnidotrehywaltrauss-Kahnsexulaylassuatldehthwiterr.SEnveteh-KahausstofnouS. his death to having “sacrificed too include attempted rape, few believe he a muchofhimselftoVenus”,theRomancannowrunastheSocialistParty’sSptorianutsos-rKtawhonbeeahsiinlydbLeeatPienng,tahnedthenTheleft-leaningdailyLiberationrace,Sarkozywillhavehisworkcut goddess of love. candidate in an April election the left Notyetpresident—andnowappar-isdeterminedtowinafter16yearsinINFaOtiPonpaolllFprounbtlilsehaedderoinnSaurnudnaoyffs.uAgn-fmueenlltesdSttrhaeusscsa-nKdaahlnbymapduebliinshliantegAcoprmil-oawtuhtuonwafirunelnfiislnhlgeudnbncaiacnkmgpdhraiiomgvneisnpropofolmvliosst,eeasr,sngaryonauocttkAnbduouebtcwrialynpe’ssidtigsadteeedpddtu,“htytahteHSatSrrloaecuiksmaesl-inDsKetedasP.hi”ranrtwyaiss ently never to be so — Strauss-Kahn opposition. has nevertheless also benefited over the His removal from the field would be gested that Hollande would draw with when he said the three most difficult drop in purchasing power and tension te nor wea years from the French press’s reluc- a boon for conservative Sarkozy, Le Pen in a first round, with Sarkozy issues for his presidential bid would tancetopursuetalesofhigh-levelwhoseratingsaresobadthatpollsjus“tObenlhyinodn.epersonhassaid‘IambJee:w“isMhnoensesy.,”womenandmyoverimmigraSnhtos.ckwaveseharSstinreazykoenotaltithopergnomehtArunagangerstotshclaelScoaiil debauchery that would delight British show he risks being knocked out in editors.thefirstroundofvoting.arenaddtyhpatsyischForlaogiciasllyH’o,lslianncdee,2”008,Fo“rYyeesaIrslitkheerwe’osmbeeenn..t.alSkoowfhpahto?t.o..schaSrtgreasussse-nKtashhno’cskawrraevsetsotnhrsoeuxgahssaultAFrua“bnTrcyhoeirserHsweoilllfllaabnneddea.fnoortmheerrcpaanrtdyidlaetaeder Before DSK left for Washington to Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, nco takeuptheIMFjob,thejournalistJeanwhopollstodatehadpeggedtocomeaDraeromtohnerssaiwdh.oBcutouhledacdodmeed:o“uTthoefrteheoefvemracsosimveeoorutg.i.e..s,Sbou,tlentotthhienmgshhaoswnFerxetncyheapro’slitpircessiMdeonntidaaly,rascheakainndguppwrehsoidweinlltiraelperleescetinotnt,h”eDpearstiyritnoltdhea Quatremer warned on his blog for the second behind Strauss-Kahn in a first daily Liberation that the veteran French round vote, also stands to benefit woodwork and make themselves them”, the paper quoted him as say- inspiring wild claims of dirty tricks. news conference. “I call on Socialists official’s behaviour would not be given her long-running complaint heard, like Laurent Fabius for exam- ing. French political and media circles ta acceptableintheUnitedStates.aboutFrenchpoliticsasanelitistple.”Evenbeforehisarrest,Strauss-Kahnhavelongswirledwithrumoursoftosythecoursefoofrth2e01n2e.w”sInt Truetoform,Strauss-Kahnwasrap-boys’club.finFaanbcieusm,ianifsotremr,esraipdriatmtehemiwniesetkerenadndcwraitsictihsemsuthbjaetcatcocfusmedouhnitimngofmaefdoinad-wStoramuesns,-Kbuathtnh’seycownedruecrtatroelwyarddisscussedcaorrneWssptitihrwiaancsymtthiheneuortereisseuslteomfeargseetd-t,hattehrenet idly involved in a scandal involving an The Socialists, who have no other affairwithasubordinate,whichwascandidatetomatchStrauss-Kahn,thepartywaslosingtouchwithwork-nessforwomen,aneasyrelationshipinpublicuntilhisarrestinNewYorkcreditStrauss-Kahn,whopolulspthoaddis-condemnedinWashingtonas“inappro-vowedtopressonwiththeirprimaryingeclrassfsvoatneresl,epctoisosnibbliyd.testingtheswaitthunmeoasnielyyawnitdhahliusxSuorycilailfieststcyrleedtehna-tfmoaridal.legedlytryingtorapeahotelsdheontwianlceoleulctdiobne.atSarkozyinapresi-priate” but in France only added to his selection process but convened a party wat or legendasa“greatseducer.”meetingonthecrisisonTuesday.wilSltrpaleuassd-nKoathgnu’silltaywtoyecrhsahrgaevsehsaidhetiaPlso.liticiansfromallpartiessaidicaAlssePxarcirsifmaecesdcaitnsdabli,gpghesottoegvrearpphosliotf-sai“dIhKaovsecifuasitkho-inMAormizeerti.c“aIntjiussstioce,” Quatremer’s prescient sally had been “It is the first time a judicial affair e condemned by many of his colleagues has such an impact on the presidential tried to rape a chambermaid after Strauss-Kahn, popularly known by his the opposition’s top presidential candi- on asanunacceptableattackonthepoliti-election,”analystFredericDabyofchasingher,naked,downacorridorinitialsDSK,shouldbepresumeddatebeingledinhandcuffsbyNewwFrheenrceh.tIothsienekcitisspiinraocuiersceulvteurrye-.” cian’s private life, but following pollster IFOP told Reuters television. and shutting her in a room. His wife innocent until proven guilty, but politi- York police shocked politicians and There was no word from Sarkozy’s Strauss-Kahn’s arrest the reporter “It’s unprecedented in France’s politi- and allies stood by him. cal commentators were unanimous in raised fears for France’s image. office, but — with his approval ratings declared himself vindicated. cal history.” “Those close to him cannot believe pronouncing the last rites on his politi- “Aswell as the alleged victim, the flat-lining at under a third of the elec-“The media and the politicians have France was mesmerised on Monday he is guilty, and he will soon be back cal career. chambermaid, there is another sure torate — it seemed his prospects could known about DSK’s irrepressible sexu- by TV images of Strauss-Kahn, a cen- with us,” his Socialist Party ally Jean- “One thing is certain: Dominique victim: France,” said Nathalie only benefit from a Socialist scandal. al appetite, and his to say the least tre-left former finance minister and Christophe Cambadelis told reporters, Strauss-Kahn will not be the next Kosciusko-Morizet, environment min- French newspapers meanwhile were ‘inappropriate’ behaviour towards managing director of the IMF, being adding that there were contradictory president of the French republic,” the ister in President Nicolas Sarkozy’s unanimous in declaring Strauss-women, for a long time,” he wrote. led away in handcuffs by police for accounts of what happened and foul conservative daily Le Figaro said in an centre-right government, on Monday. Kahn’s political career dead. And Quatremer was not the only one DNA tests over the alleged assault in a play could not be ruled out. editorial. “We are thinking also of France’s “As we wait for truth to be sorted to foresee DSK’s fall from grace. Just New York hotel. He said, without elaborating, that Liberation front page headline read image,” said Jean-Francois Cope, the from falsehood, one thing is already last month, the man himself told Without Strauss-Kahn, the enemies had “promised a nuclear simply: “DSK Out”. leader of the ruling right-wing UMP certain: Dominique Strauss-Kahn will Liberation journalists that sex could Socialists’ strongest candidate could attack” should Strauss-Kahn declare a Socialist Party spokesman Benoit party, on Europe 1 radio. “To think of not be the next president of the French prove his downfall, saying: “Yes, I like be former party boss Francois presidential bid. Hamon said the party would press on that picture running on a loop the Republic,” said the pro-government women. So what?” Hollande, although he lacks frontline Strauss-Kahn’s woes deepened in with preparing its October election world over is clearly quite some- daily Le Figaro.