04/07/2003 13:29
Brussels could try to help the accession countries that have had US military assistance cut off because of their unwillingness to sign bilateral agreements with Washington exempting US nationals from the International Criminal Court (ICC), it has emerged.
The EU may look for ways to negotiate with the US on behalf of accession state interests, Latvian newspaper, Diena, quotes European Commission spokesperson for foreign affairs, Diego Ojeda as saying.
However, Brussels cannot do anything unless the affected countries ask for the EU's help, something that none of them have done so far, he added.
Washington on Wednesday announced its plan to cut military aid to approximately 50 countries world-wide, including five EU accession states expected to join the European Union in May 2004. These countries are Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Bulgaria, which hopes for EU membership from 2007, is also named on the list of Washington's 'bad guys', despite backing the US' war in Iraq.
The US decision means that these countries could each lose up to 10 million US dollars which would otherwise be used to modernise their defence.
The EU regrets Washington's decision and at the same time expresses admiration for the future EU members opposing the US line on the ICC, Mr Ojeda told Diena.
However, Eastern European leaders say that Washington's move was not a surprise.
The possibility that the US could cut military aid for Estonia was one of the issues in ICC negotiations that have been going on for a year, Estonian newspaper, Postimees, quotes Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts as saying. Yet Tallinn sees no way to sign bilateral agreements that would exclude US nationals from being tried in the ICC.
Mr Parts said that with most of the financial contracts already signed, Estonia has used most of Washington's aid for this year. Neighbouring Latvia also says that up to 85% of this year's US military assistance will not be affected by Washington's decision.
The US State department has announced that financial help to these countries will be renewed after NATO enlargement in May 2004.
In the meantime, future EU members are calling for the EU and US to find a compromise on ICC. It will not be little Latvia that will solve the judicial arguments of two worlds, Latvian Prime Minister Einars Repse told Latvian journalists this week.
The EU may look for ways to negotiate with the US on behalf of accession state interests, Latvian newspaper, Diena, quotes European Commission spokesperson for foreign affairs, Diego Ojeda as saying.
However, Brussels cannot do anything unless the affected countries ask for the EU's help, something that none of them have done so far, he added.
Washington on Wednesday announced its plan to cut military aid to approximately 50 countries world-wide, including five EU accession states expected to join the European Union in May 2004. These countries are Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Bulgaria, which hopes for EU membership from 2007, is also named on the list of Washington's 'bad guys', despite backing the US' war in Iraq.
The US decision means that these countries could each lose up to 10 million US dollars which would otherwise be used to modernise their defence.
The EU regrets Washington's decision and at the same time expresses admiration for the future EU members opposing the US line on the ICC, Mr Ojeda told Diena.
However, Eastern European leaders say that Washington's move was not a surprise.
The possibility that the US could cut military aid for Estonia was one of the issues in ICC negotiations that have been going on for a year, Estonian newspaper, Postimees, quotes Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts as saying. Yet Tallinn sees no way to sign bilateral agreements that would exclude US nationals from being tried in the ICC.
Mr Parts said that with most of the financial contracts already signed, Estonia has used most of Washington's aid for this year. Neighbouring Latvia also says that up to 85% of this year's US military assistance will not be affected by Washington's decision.
The US State department has announced that financial help to these countries will be renewed after NATO enlargement in May 2004.
In the meantime, future EU members are calling for the EU and US to find a compromise on ICC. It will not be little Latvia that will solve the judicial arguments of two worlds, Latvian Prime Minister Einars Repse told Latvian journalists this week.
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