By Mike Fox At the United Nations in New York

The United Nations has put off making a decision on the demands from the United States that international peacekeepers should be put beyond the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The UN security council avoided the debate which had been expected on Saturday by renewing the mandate of the police force in Bosnia for another nine days, until midnight on 30 June - the court comes into existence on 1 July.

The ICC

Comes into being on July 1 and begins work early next year Will be based in The Hague 68 nations have ratified the treaty Over 100 nations have signed up and may ratify the treaty in the future China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iraq and Turkey have failed to sign up to the treaty The US, Egypt, Iran, Israel and Russia have failed to ratify the treaty

The Bush administration is apparently standing alone in its desire to exempt peacekeepers from prosecution by the ICC.

Diplomats from a number of other security council countries agree with the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who pointed out that the country donating the troops is responsible for disciplining them, and the ICC could only become involved if that government is unwilling or unable to do so.

The US is hoping to hammer out a compromise next week.

It may get help from some governments who recognise that a deal is needed to appease conservative forces in Washington, who are often so critical of international organisations like the UN.

But few diplomats here can see how to make a deal, if the US continues to dig in its heels.