U.S. Considers Future Of Aid To Bosnia

Washington [04.02.01] -- In a briefing with the international media, 1973 Tufts graduate and State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said the U.S. is currently deciding whether to certify millions of dollars in aid to Bosnia, following Sunday's arrest of Slobodan Milosevic.

   "We are in the process of our internal discussions on the matter," Boucher said in a State Department briefing. "The law requires us to look at three areas: cooperation with the Tribunal, ending support for the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and respect for the minority rights and the rule of law."

   He added, "Those areas are being looked at and we have not reached any decision on certification."

   During the Clinton Administration, Congress passed a provision that required the Bosnian government to prove it was cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal by March 31, 2001 or the U.S. would not certify additional aid to the country.

   The U.S. has also said it will oppose loans to Bosnia from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

   Millions of dollars are at stake for the war-torn region.

   "If we don't certify, then the remainder of our bilateral assistance would be suspended. That is approximately $50 million of the $100 million that was allocated," Boucher said.

   Many journalists and foreign policy experts are asking whether the recent arrest of Milsoveic -- the former Yugoslavian leader indicted by the tribunal for war crimes -- was the necessary step to ensure the certification of U.S. aid.

   While Boucher said the State Department hasn't linked specific actions with certification, the Tufts graduate said he's confident that Bosnian officials are fully aware of the United States' expectations.

   "Obviously, we've been encouraging Belgrade all along," Boucher said. "We've made quite clear to them the kind of steps that they could be taking, that they should be taking anyway, and the kind of things we'd like to see."