Washington, DC (JBANC) --- Nearly five months after having U.S. military funding frozen under the American Servicemembers' Protection Act, six countries were cleared by President George W. Bush to have military assistance reinstated. The countries named in the November 21 memorandum are Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Slovenia.

With Washington opposed to ratification of the International Criminal Court, the U.S. requested that countries sign on to Article 98 of the Rome Statute, which established the ICC. Under this article, signatories endorse a bilateral agreement not to extradite U.S. citizens to the ICC. As supporters of the ICC, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have sided with the European Union in not signing Article 98. Congress adopted the American Servicemembers’ Protection Act of 2002 (PL 107-206), under which countries that have not signed the Article 98 provision would lose U.S. military assistance. The ASPA bill, however, does not apply to current NATO members and select strategic allies.

The prohibitions on U.S. military assistance had been in effect since July 1. Resumption of military assistance to the Baltic countries was not otherwise envisioned until they become NATO members in 2004. The President’s waiver, in effect, amends the ASPA by granting military assistance for “certain specific projects” which “are needed to support the process of integration of these countries into NATO, or to support Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom”.

Recognizing the importance of U.S. military assistance to the Baltics, certain Members of Congress pushed to amend the law to include those nations that have concluded an accession protocol with NATO. House resolution H.R. 2550 was introduced in the summer by Baltic Caucus co-chair John Shimkus (R-IL) and supported by Representatives Doug Bereuter (R-NE), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), John Mica (R-FL), James Oberstar (D-MN), Ike Skelton (D-MO) and Joe Wilson (R-SC).

Senate resolution S.1317 was introduced by Senator Gordon Smith and co-sponsored by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Joe Biden (D-DE), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Senators Smith and Durbin are Baltic Freedom Caucus co-chairs. The Senate resolution passed unanimously on November 7 in the Foreign Relations committee.

Baltic-Americans have also protested the freezing of military aid to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - countries which have been assisting the U.S. in Iraq and other military operations. For its part, JBANC has provided background information on the issue and welcomes the needed change in U.S. policy.

JBANC represents the Estonian American National Council, Inc., the American Latvian Association, Inc. and the Lithuanian American Council, Inc.
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JOINT BALTIC AMERICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE, INC.

Representing:
Estonian American National Council, Inc.
American Latvian Association, Inc.
Lithuanian American Council, Inc.

400 Hurley Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850

Tel: (301) 340-1954
Fax: (301) 309-1406
E-Mail:jbanc@jbanc.org
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