| Press Statement Sean McCormack, Spokesman Washington, DC May 31, 2006 Serbia and Montenegro Assistance
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has determined that she cannot certify that the Government of Serbia and Montenegro is cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. This decision will result in the withholding of $7 million in assistance to the central government of Serbia for fiscal year 2006, as required by the 2006 Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act. Humanitarian aid for the Serbian people and assistance for strengthening democracy will continue to be available to those who are working to overcome the past and are looking to the future. In June 2005 the Secretary was able to certify that Serbia and Montenegro was cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, but there has been little notable cooperation with the Tribunal since that time. The United States wishes to strengthen relations with Serbia and help it become a fully successful, secure, and democratic nation that is integrated into Euro-Atlantic structures. However, Serbia must meet its international obligations. We call on the authorities in Belgrade to cooperate fully with the Tribunal, to include the arrest and transfer of fugitive indictees, particularly Ratko Mladic, to face justice in The Hague. As Serbia Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said, "by hiding, Ratko Mladic is inflicting great harm to [Serbian] state and national interests." The Secretary is prepared to review this decision if future actions by the Government of Serbia and Montenegro demonstrate its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. 2006/563 |
 | |||
|
