08 November 2000 U.S. Declares Continued Support for Slovenian Demining Trust Fund The director of the State Department's Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, Donald F. Patierno, says the United States fully supports the work of Slovenia's International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF), which organizes and finances demining activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Speaking at a meeting of the trust fund's advisory board in Ljubljana November 8, Patierno sought to reassure the group "as to the Trust Fund's reliability and sound stewardship of our donations" in light of the investigation of corruption charges against Bosnia and Herzegovina's Demining Commissioners and subsequent hints of "guilt by association" directed at the ITF. The international community has seen "no evidence of any improprieties on the part of the ITF or its program," he said, adding that the United States has "full confidence in the integrity of the ITF and will continue to use the ITF exclusively for funding demining and victim assistance projects in Bosnia and the rest of the Balkan region." The United States helped Slovenia establish the ITF in 1998 and, according to Patierno, has spent more than $40 million on demining activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina alone, with further assistance going to other mine-affected countries in the region. The address of the ITF's Web site is www.sigov.si/itffund/main.html and the address of the State Department's Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs Web site is www.state.gov/www/global/arms/pm/hdp/pubs.html Following is the text of Patierno's remarks in Ljubljana: Ljubljana, Slovenia November 8, 2000 Donald F. Patierno, Director, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State Remarks at the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance Advisory Board Meeting Honorable Ministers, State Secretaries, distinguished emissaries, Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen. I am very pleased to be here today to represent the Secretary of State and to once again congratulate the Republic of Slovenia and the International Trust Fund (ITF) for the outstanding work that has been accomplished on behalf of regional stability and quality of life improvements of citizens of mine- afflicted states. In addition to the considerable demining successes previously achieved in Bosnia and Croatia, the ITF has added successful demining and unexploded ordnance (UXO)/cluster bomb clearance initiatives in Albania and Kosovo to its impressive list of accomplishments, and the groundwork has been laid for a similar initiative to start in Macedonia in 2001. The United States is extremely proud of the humanitarian relief provided by the ITF to the region, both for its "clearance-effectiveness" as well as for its "cost-effectiveness," and will continue to match contributions to the ITF in furtherance of the humanitarian demining and victims assistance efforts so ably spearheaded by the ITF on behalf of us all. It pleases me to inform you that to date the United States has matched a total of $21,461,452, which means that almost $43,000,000 worth of demining and victims assistance have been made available to the various mine-affected countries of the region through our combined generosity and the hard work of the ITF. Of the original $28 million which the U.S. Congress appropriated for this purpose in mid-1998, over $6.5 million remains to be matched, a feat that I expect will be accomplished by early next year. Beyond that, there is also the hope and expectation that, based on the verifiable accomplishments of the ITF, additional funds will be made available in the future. Hopes and expectations, however much they are backed up by proven performance, can be dashed by unwarranted or injudicious actions which impugn an organization's corporate character, destroying the trust and confidence so vital to an institution that relies for its very existence on the faith and good will of its donors. In the case of the Trust Fund this is not a theoretical musing but a practical reality, and a most frustrating one at that. Within the last year, a series of accusations and allegations of corruption and other wrong-doing connected with the demining program in Bosnia were made primarily against the Bosnia-Herzegovina Demining Commissioners, with hints of "guilt by association" also being directed at the International Demining Trust Fund (ITF). Although no evidence has yet been made public, the three commissioners have been removed from office. Moreover, at the behest of the Co-Chairs of the International Demining Board of Donors, the tripartite structure of the commission, which was established by the London Peace Implementation Conference, is being abandoned as the Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) Government considers instituting changes that call for the placement of demining responsibility within a single ministry. The Co-Chairs of the International Demining Board of Donors have played a particularly pro-active role in the investigation and subsequent removal of the Demining Commissioners. However, in spite of the long duration of the investigation, the international community has seen no evidence of any improprieties on the part of the ITF or its program. In view of the heavy-handed and highly publicized measures taken on this matter, the United States wishes to make the following points: The United States has spent over $40 million on demining in Bosnia-Herzegovina alone, and has been responsible in great part for the development of Bosnian demining capabilities and institutions. These include assisting the United Nations in the initial establishment of the Sarajevo Mine Action Center, the development of indigenous military, commercial and NGO demining groups, the establishment of Entity Army demining training schools, and the introduction of mine dog technology into Bosnia and the rest of the Balkans. The U.S. considers the Bosnian demining program to be one of the most successfully "indigenized" in the world. As constituted before the investigation Bosnia demining was viable, effective, and sustainable with continued international financial support. The United States wishes to see this investigation go forward impartially and professionally, with due regard for the rights of the individuals concerned, and to result in proper remedial actions where merited. This includes the prosecution of all who can be proven to have diverted demining funds from their intended purpose. It also includes proper redress for those individuals and institutions aggrieved by rumor and unjust charges made public without recourse to a democratic due process. No matter how serious the allegations of wrongdoing are, no legitimate law enforcement purpose is served by insufficient consultation with the donors' representatives in advance, or to observe both form and substance of due process. The financial and political responsibilities of the various donors entitle us all to more information regarding the alleged charges. Actions, taken precipitously and without transparency, have unnecessarily cast a pall over the entire demining effort. The United States is concerned that changes to demining structure could, if not fully managed and implemented by the Government of Bosnia, have the effect of disenfranchising BiH demining authorities. We also are concerned that external parties will seek to impose additional international advisors on the new BiH structure, thus stepping back from one of the principal fundamentals of most donors -- that is to build an indigenous capacity. The increase in international staff in the demining infrastructure likely would cause a decrease in the funds available for demining as money which otherwise would have been devoted to funding projects would be diverted to pay for the salaries and support of the additional internationals. If there is to be an international presence in the new demining structure, it is for the sovereign Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina, not external parties, to determine. The U.S. does not want to see the gains of the past continue to be endangered by a lack of donor confidence/financial support engendered by unsubstantiated allegations of wrong-doing and lack of consultation/information sharing. The U.S. looks forward to a full and speedy disclosure of the results of the corruption investigation in order to avoid further damage to Bosnia demining efforts and institutions. The U.S. has full confidence in the integrity of the ITF and will continue to use the ITF exclusively for funding demining and victim assistance projects in Bosnia and the rest of the Balkan region. It is now time for the international donor community to join in an expeditious, just, legal, and transparent effort to put the investigation to rest and to restore confidence and trust in Bosnia demining institutions and processes. Until recently, the uncertainty and doubt created by this interminable investigation had served to severely curtailed donations (both "triggering" donations and U.S. matching funds contributions) to the ITF as donors prudently delayed converting their pledges to contributions pending the resolution of the investigative process. Indeed, during one 3-month period (June 3 to September 1) the United States matched only one donation of $40,810. I am pleased to say that this long "depositors drought" appears to be ending as the investigation has dragged on with no discernable results to show for the effort or the innuendo. Since the second week of September over $180,000 has been matched by the U.S., and an additional $5.1 million has been contributed and will be matched by the U.S. within the next 30 days. And, as I have mentioned earlier, there is still another $6.5 million remaining in the U.S. coffers to match additional donations. In addressing this challenge to the successful and cost-effective continuation of ITF activities and Bosnia demining, the U.S. wishes to stress to all donors its unwavering confidence in the worthiness of the ITF and its ability to continue to execute its responsibilities to both donors and the populations of the countries assisted. As a measure of our confidence, I want to stress that the U.S. will continue to match donations to the ITF on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and will continue to use the ITF as our sole vehicle for funding demining projects in the Balkans. As a further expression of our confidence in the ITF, the United States has also made a unilateral contribution to the Trust Fund of $4.2 million to ensure that the demining needs of all mine-affected countries in the region are addressed in a timely and threat-appropriate manner. It is these funds [that] have enabled the ITF to play a leading role in the clearance of cluster bomb sub-munitions in Kosovo in 1999 and 2000, and this year's demining activities in Albania. Similarly, the initiation of demining and UXO (unexploded ordnance) clearance activities in Macedonia next year will also be financed from this unilateral U.S. donation. If any of you have had doubts before as to the views of the United States regarding the ITF and its connection to the on-going investigation in Bosnia, I hope that these remarks have assured you of our full support of the ITF and have reassured you as to the Trust Fund's reliability and sound stewardship of our donations. I thank you for your attention, and look forward to sharing another year of demining success with you through our common efforts funded through the International Trust Fund. (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) Return to the Washington File