[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11625-11626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4668]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3567]


Bureau of European Affairs; US Bilateral Assistance to Bosnia and 
Serbia

    The Secretary of State issued on March 15, 2000, a waiver of 
restrictions under Section 566 of the Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2000, for bilateral 
assistance to the Republika Srpska (RS) and Serbia (excluding Kosovo), 
as follows:
    (1) In the Republika Srpska: Support for civilian police 
restructuring; USAID and State public diplomacy programs promoting 
democratization, reconciliation, and free and independent media; the 
Community Reintegration and Stabilization Project of USAID, as well as 
its Bosnia Business Development, Economic Reform and Democratic Reform 
Programs; OSCE-supervised elections and human rights activities; and 
Trade and Development Agency (TDA) activities designed to assist U.S. 
businesses in Bosnia. The municipalities of Foca, Pale, and Prijedor 
are excluded from this waiver, because competent authorities have 
failed to take necessary and significant steps to apprehend and 
transfer war crimes indictees to the International Criminal Tribunal 
for the Former Yugoslavia. These municipalities will not be eligible 
for new U.S. assistance.
    (2) In Serbia: State public diplomacy and USAID programs to support 
democratic reform, including free and independent media and labor; 
economic reform and other advisory assistance to the democratic FRY 
opposition; developing programs with NGOs for the delivery of 
humanitarian assistance through new distribution mechanisms that are 
independent of Belgrade regime control; and technical assistance, 
training grants, and exchanges designed to benefit opposition-
controlled municipalities.

    The Secretary noted that:
    Our bilateral assistance promotes Dayton and an integrated 
Bosnia. Recipients of U.S. assistance must state in writing their 
support for Dayton and then act accordingly. Our assistance has 
promoted the growth of pro-Dayton parties in the RS, development of 
independent media, minority returns, privatization and market-
oriented reform, increased minority representation in the RS police 
force, and efforts to investigate corruption and curb police abuse.
    The promotion of independent media and pro-democracy NGOs has a 
special significance in the aftermath of the Kosovo conflict. The 
Milosevic regime in Belgrade has an interest in ensuring that no 
pro-Western governments can survive in areas of predominantly Serb 
population. RS authorities have demonstrated their readiness to 
ensure freedom of movement for members of opposition political 
parties and the independent media from Serbia. The response from the 
Belgrade regime has been to curb dissemination of democratically-
oriented media from the RS into Serbia and to issue threats against 
representatives of the RS government.

    Section 566 requires publication of a listing and justification of 
any assistance that is obligated for any country, entity, or canton to 
which assistance restrictions apply, including a description of the 
purpose of the assistance project and its location, by municipality.
    The following data are for funds obligated during April-July 2000. 
Locality data are provided where feasible. However, U.S. assistance in 
Bosnia, including Republika Srpska has largely shifted from physical 
reconstruction projects to provision of technical assistance and 
promotion of political and economic reform. As indicated below, 
assistance in Serbia is geared toward increasing capabilities of 
political opposition parties and the independent media. U.S. bilateral 
aid implementers apply strict screening procedures to ensure that aid 
beneficiaries, whether of business credits or technical assistance, are 
firms or organizations in which war crimes indictees have no material 
influence or interest.

USAID: Bosnia/Republika Srpska

    The following list gives, in order, Date of Obligation, Amount of 
Obligation, Project Number, Project Title, Description of Activity, 
Justification of Assistance and Location.

8/1/00. $489,957. 180-0019. Democratic Governance. TA and training for 
managers and administrators of Brcko District. Brcko District 
(Federation and RS).
8/1/00. $1,425,000. 180-0019. Democratic Governance. Fund team of 
international experts to provide TA to Brcko District (includes RS).
8/1/00. $1,704,087. 180-0014. Business Development Program. TA for 
reform of commercial, non-banking laws and financial activities, as 
well as of accounting and auditing standards. Throughout BiH.
8/2/00. $403,262. 180-0022. Media Training. TA and training to 
independent electronic and print media in Federation and RS.
8/7/00. $167,000. 180-0021. Political and Social Process. TA and 
training to local civic organizations to target voter constituencies. 
Throughout BiH.
8/7/00. $170,000. 180-0021. Political and Social Process. Polling to 
enable political parties to utilize data to develop election messages. 
Throughout BiH.
8/24/00. $21,1290. 180-0249. Corporate Governance. Provide TA to 
develop an employers confederation to address legal and regulatory 
needs of private firms. Throughout BiH.
9/1/00. $4,778,166. 180-0056. Business Development Program. TA for 
Business Finance portion of the BDP. Throughout BiH.
9/1/00. $3,150,000. 180-0056. Business Development Program. Provide 
Business Consulting services, including training and TA, to enterprises 
seeking loan funds. Throughout BiH.
9/1/00. $59,712. 180-0249. Assessment and Evaluation. Conduct survey to 
assess impact of USAID-funded civic participation and organizing 
programs. Throughout BiH.
9/29/00. $2,000,000. 180-021. Political and Social Process. Provide 
assistance in voter education and civic

[[Page 11626]]

organizing activities prior to and after BiH general elections. 
Throughout BiH.
9/28/00. $5,000,000. 180-0004. Municipal Infrastructure and Services. 
Fund contract extension with Parsons Delaware Inc. to implement the MIS 
program. Throughout BiH.
9/28/00. $1,500,000. 180-0005. Privatization & Enterprise 
Restructuring. Develop comprehensive accounting and auditing regime for 
BiH.

USAID: Serbia

8/1/00. $1,500,000. 180-0021. Political and Social Process. Political 
party development. Economic program development; for use in opposition 
election campaigns and to guide polices once the political opposition 
is elected to office.
8/10/00. $999,775. 180-0019. Democratic Governance. TA to improve local 
government capabilities.
8/16/00. $604,319. 180-0019. Democratic Governance. TA to improve 
delivery of constituent services.
8/25/00. $529,792. 180-0032. NGO Development. TA to improve civil 
society advocacy capabilities.
9/18/00. $1,499,351. 180-0019. Democratic Governance. Targeted 
municipalities: humanitarian assistance.
9/15/00. $127,684. 180-0021. Political and Social Process. Trade Union 
get-out-the-vote activities.
9/18/00. $327,984. 180-0032. NGO Development. Improve capabilities of 
women's groups and other civil society advocates.
9/29/00. $100,009. 180-0021. Political and Social Process. Political 
party development.
9/29/00. $135,635. 180-0021. Political and Social Process. Election 
monitoring.
9/29/00. $192,887. 180-0032. NGO Development. Improve capabilities of 
civil society advocates.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of the SEED Coordinator, 
Department of State, 2101 C St NW., Washington, DC 20521, 202-647-0853.

    Dated: January 10, 2001.
Larry C. Napper,
Coordinator for East European Assistance, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 01-4668 Filed 2-23-01; 8:45 am]
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