STOP NATO: �NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
--------------------------- ListBot Sponsor --------------------------
Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[Pretend not to notice it's pyrite - fool's gold.
You'll have to wipe the blood off first, but it can
purchase you a rope.]
Friday June 29 9:30 AM ET
EU, U.S. Lead Way at Yugoslav Donors' Conference
By Gareth Jones
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and the United
States, delighted by Belgrade's surprise transfer of
ex-president Slobodan Milosevic to The Hague, led the
way on Friday in promising sorely needed cash to
rebuild Yugoslavia.
At a pledging conference in Brussels, they and other
donors announced contributions that Yugoslavia hopes
will finally total $1.25 billion -- the estimated sum
it needs for this year alone.
The money will help to repair infrastructure -- some
of it still damaged after NATO's 1999 air strikes
campaign -- and to pay teachers and doctors.
Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus said the
conference showed that his country -- comprising
Serbia and tiny Montenegro -- was finally putting the
Milosevic years of political isolation and economic
mismanagement behind it.
``This conference has a symbolic significance for us
because it shows we are fully back in the
international community, politically, financially,
diplomatically,�� Labus told reporters during a break.
``We have decided to take the fast track to Europe,��
he said, alluding to Belgrade�s market reforms and its
decision to hand over Milosevic to the U.N. war crimes
tribunal in The Hague.
Donors were due to formally announce their pledges
later on Friday, but Labus said the United States
would pledge $181.6 million for 2001 and Japan $50
million.
Johannes Linn of the World Bank, a co-sponsor with the
European Commission of Friday's conference, said his
organization had pledged $150 million for this
calendar year.
This would form part of a $540 million package spread
over a five-year period.
EU AID
The Commission, the European Union's executive arm,
said it would donate a total 530 million euros ($449.5
million) -- a sum over and above individual pledges
made by the 15 member states.
Commission spokesman Gunnar Wiegand said 230 million
euros would be made as a contribution to the economic
recovery and transition program drawn up jointly by
the Commission and the World Bank for 2001.
The Commission would add another 300 million euros in
macrofinancial assistance through loans and grants
over 2001 and 2002, Wiegand said.
In addition, the EU is to ask the European Investment
Bank, its lending arm, to extend loan guarantees for
up to 350 million euros to back an International
Monetary Fund standby program.
In a joint statement, EU External Affairs Commissioner
Chris Patten and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Pedro
Solbes said: ''Today marks a clean break with the past
for the (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). Now we look
to the future, a future in which the FRY returns to
the European family of democracies.''
``I am very happy with the atmosphere and the support
we are receiving,�� Labus told reporters.
He played down suggestions that the handover of
Milosevic to the Hague had proved the critical factor
for donors. Some, like the United States, had hinted
they might not come to Brussels because of Belgrade's
failure to hand over the ex-leader.
``It is the bold economic and democratic reforms we
have introduced (which has encouraged donors),�� Labus
said.
GRIM PICTURE
Earlier, Labus painted a bleak picture of a nation in
which 25 percent of the workforce are unemployed, 70
percent live below or near the poverty line and
600,000 are still refugees or displaced people
following a series of Balkan wars.
The World Bank's Linn said Labus' team had done a good
job in restoring financial stability and launching
liberal reforms since Milosevic's overthrow in a
popular uprising last autumn, but he added that the
new money had to start flowing fast.
``We agreed the next six months are key for the quick
disbursement of funds,�� he told reporters.
Serbian Finance Minister Bozidar Djelic said ordinary
Yugoslavs would want to see speedy, tangible
improvements.
``If we manage to reach the targets from the program,
it will in many ways be positive for our country and
even before the year end people will be able to see
that roads are being built, that bridges are being
repaired, that companies obtain loans, that the
judiciary gets additional assistance,�� he said.
(Additional reporting by Gordana Filipovic)
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
