CROATIA MIGHT BE DENIED FURTHER U.S. MILITARY AID

ZAGREB, May 14 (Hina) - Deputy Foreign Minister Ivan Simonovic told Hina on Wednesday he discussed with Ambassador Lawrence Rossin on Monday the potential cancellation of U.S. military assistance to Croatia unless it signs a bilateral agreement on the non- extradition of U.S. citizens to the International Criminal Court. #L# The Vecernji list and Vjesnik dailies said today Croatia might be denied further U.S. military assistance unless it signed the deal. Speaking to Hina on the telephone, Simonovic said that countries which did not sign the agreement would be denied assistance, in line with the American Servicemember's Protection Act. There are some exceptions, namely countries which are NATO members or those with which the United States has a partnership, said Simonovic. He added new exceptions might be possible, for example countries under the mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The European Union is discouraged by the signing of the agreement the U.S. requests, and asking states which are negotiating membership with the Union and are bound by cooperation with the Hague tribunal to sign it brings them in a difficult position, said Simonovic. Romania's decision to sign the agreement has elicited immediate reaction in the EU and the European Commission. Asked if Croatia had made any decision as to putting its signature on the document, Simonovic said a decision to that effect was not on the government but parliament if the cabinet asked so. Due to the political mood, the signature is unlikely, he said. The U.S. embassy has confirmed the U.S. wants Croatia to sign the agreement and that $19 million in assistance for military training and equipment depends on it. A letter Hina received from the embassy notes that the U.S. endorses the drawing closer to Euro-Atlantic structures, especially Croatia's admission to NATO. The military assistance is the U.S. support to said integration, the letter stated, adding the embassy's priority was to cooperate with the Croatian government towards the adoption of the agreement by July 1, which would enable further military assistance. Simonovic explained the $19 million was not a one-year amount. The one-year figure is $5 million while the remainder includes some unused funds, he said. (hina) ha