ZAGREB, June 30 (Hina) - A law on the discontinuation of the U.S. military assistance to the countries that failed to sign a bilateral agreement on the non-extradition of American citizens to the newly-established International
Criminal Court (ICC) -- including Croatia -- is coming into force on Tuesday, July 1.
ZAGREB, June 30 (Hina) - A law on the discontinuation of the U.S.
military assistance to the countries that failed to sign a
bilateral agreement on the non-extradition of American citizens to
the newly-established International Criminal Court (ICC) --
including Croatia -- is coming into force on Tuesday, July 1. #L#
During negotiations with a U.S. delegation, held in Zagreb in June,
Croatia declined to sign the agreement on the non-extradition of
Americans to the ICC and now faces the threat of losing U.S.
military assistance worth US$19 million.
U.S. State Department said earlier that countries which failed to
sign the said agreement by July 1, under the law on the protection of
the U.S. armed forces (ASPA), would be stripped of the U.S. military
assistance.
The U.S. has so far signed the bilateral agreements with about 40
countries, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania and Romania.
The United States is not an ICC member and fears a possibility that
the court could be used for politically motivated prosecutions of
U.S. citizens.
NATO member-countries, U.S. allies and Taiwan are exempt from the
consequences of this law.
U.S. President George W. Bush can also waive provisions of this law
should he assess it to be in the national interest.
Neither the Croatian government nor the foreign ministry were able
to give information to Hina Monday regarding tomorrow's expiration
of the deadline. Hina was unable to get any comments from the U.S.
Embassy.
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