June 1, 2006
Embassy of the United States of America
Belgrade

Statement by Ambassador Michael C. Polt on Certification

On May 31, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice determined that she could not certify that the Government of Serbian 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 specifically to the central government of Serbia for the year 2006/2007, as required by U.S. law.

Let me begin by emphasizing that this Embassy and the U.S. Government continue to support the people of Serbia as well as Montenegro. I am convinced that the people of Serbia desperately want to move towards a better future for themselves and their families, a future of economic prosperity in a country that upholds democratic principles, including the rule of law and the equal treatment of all its citizens, regardless of rank or position.

Unfortunately, the government of Serbia has failed to fulfill the obligations to the international community and to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Sadly, this has serious consequences for the people of this country and for their dreams and hopes for the future. It prevents Serbia from taking its rightful place in a Europe whole, free and at peace.

Each year, the U.S. Congress asks the President of the United States, who has delegated that determination to the Secretary of State, to certify that the Government of Serbia and Montenegro is cooperating with the ICTY. This year, the Congress specifically said that in the event my government cannot certify that the Government of Serbia and Montenegro is cooperating with ICTY including, and I quote, "the surrender and transfer of indictees or assistance in their apprehension, including Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic" then funding to the central government of Serbia would be limited. This provision which the United States Congress put forth has not been met.

Despite all this, we will not waiver in our aid to the people of Serbia. We will continue to provide more than $62 million in assistance this year directly to the people of this country in an effort to see your economy develop and provide jobs and hope for its citizens.

This is, however, a sad day for Serbia, and for me personally. I am sorry my government has had to make this decision -- specifically, that the authorities in Belgrade have made this decision necessary. I do not want the people of Serbia to suffer any longer for the sake of fugitive indictees. It is time for the government of Serbia to make the right decision, to deliver Mladic to The Hague, and to free its citizens from this dark chapter of their past.

1. jun, 2006
Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država
Beograd

Saopštenje ambasadora Majkla K. Polta o sertifikaciji

Državni sekretar Kondoliza Rajs je 31. maja odlučila da ne može potvrditi da vlada Srbije i Crne Gore sarađuje sa Međunarodnim krivičnim sudom za bivšu Jugoslaviju. Prema zakonu SAD, rezultat ove odluke je obustavljanje 7 miliona dolara pomoći namenjene centralnoj vladi Srbije za 2006/2007 godinu.

Dozvolite mi da počnem time što su naglasiti da će ova ambasada i Američka vlada nastaviti da pružaju pomoć narodu Srbije kao i Crne Gore. Uveren sam da građani Srbije očajnički žele da idu u pravcu bolje budućnosti za sebe i svoje porodice, budućnosti ekonomskog prosperiteta u zemlji koja se drži demokratskih principa, uključjući vladavinu prava i jednako postupanje prema svim svojim građanima bez obzira na rang ili poziciju.

Nažalost, vlada Srbije nije uspela da ispuni obaveze prema međunarodnoj zajednici i Međunarodnom krivičnom sudu za bivšu Jugoslaviju. I nažalost, ovo ima ozbiljne posledice po narod ove zemlje, njihove snove i nadu u bolju budućnost. To je ono što sprečava Srbiju da sa pravom zauzme svoje mesto u Evropi, slobodna i u miru.

Svake godine američki Kongres traži od Predsednika SAD, koji je preneo ovlašćenje državnom sekretaru, da potvrdi da vlada Srbije i Crne Gore sarađuje sa Međunarodnim krivičnim sudom za bivšu Jugoslaviju. Kongres je ove godine izričito tražio da ukoliko moja vlada ne može da potvrdi da vlada Srbije i Crne Gore sarađuje sa Haškim sudom, pored ostalog, citiram "izručenje i transfer optuženih ili pomoć pri njihovom hapšenju, uključujući Ratka Mladića i Radovana Karadžića", onda će finansiranje centralne vlade Srbije biti limitirano. Ova odredba koju je Kongres Sjedinjenih Država doneo nije ispunjena.

Uprkos tome, mi nećemo uskratiti našu pomoć narodu Srbije. Nastavićemo da ove godine dajemo pomoć u vrednosti više od 62 miliona dolara direktno narodu ove zemlje, u pokušaju da vidimo vašu ekonomiju kako se razvija i stvara nova radna mesta i nadu u bolju budućnost za vaše građane.

Ovo je ipak jedan tužan dan za Srbiju, i za mene lično. Žao mi je što je moja vlada morala da donese ovakvu odluku, a posebno što su vlasti u Beogradu dovele do donošenja ovakve odluke. Ne želim da narod Srbije više pati zbog optuženih begunaca. Vreme je da vlada Srbije donese pravu odluku i isporuči Mladića Haškom tribunalu i tako oslobodi svoje građane ovog teškog poglavlja njihove prošlosti.

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