US CUTS PROGRAMS IN BELIZE, BUT KEEPS ANTI-DRUG PROGRAM

The United States of America has decided to discontinue military aid to 35
countries of which 6 are CARICOM nations including Belize for not signing
Article 98 agreements constituting the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ICC was created, with US consent under former President Bill Clinton,
under a 1998 United Nations treaty to prosecute those responsible of
genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against nationals of
countries unwilling or unable to try the cases.

Article 98 agreements would protect US Military and citizens of war-crimes
prosecution.

US President George Bush declared that without Article 98 the ICC is a
threat to US troops as its objectives may put Americans under prosecution.
The sanctions to the 35 countries came about on Monday July 1st 2003 which
was US President Bush's deadline for countries to agree on the protection of
Americans under the ICC and sign the Article 98 agreements.

For Belize it would mean no more Foreign Military Finance (FMF) and no more
International Military Education and Training (IMET), said Edgar Embrey, US
Embassy Acting Chief of Mission and Chief of Political, Economic and
Commercial Center .

When asked whether US Military Personnel in charge of training and US
military aid have left Belize, Embrey remarked that he has not been informed
whether they have.

"As I understand it, the counter-narcotics program in Belize will not be
affected," stated Embrey. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
along with other US sponsored agencies will remain in Belize to fight
narco-traffickers.

Embrey said that neither has he been informed whether the sanctions are
permanent nor if they might be waived, but indicated that it is up to
President Bush to decide.

Along with Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, St. Vincent and
the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago have been sanctioned.

This latest incident is being discussed by CARICOM nation leaders as they
meet in Montego Bay, Jamaica.