Presidential Determination on Eligibility of Serbia and Montenegro to Receive Defense Articles and Services Under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended, and the Arms Export Control Act

President Bush determined that providing defense articles and services to Serbia and Montenegro would strengthen U.S. security and promote world peace, authorizing the Secretary of State to report this finding to Congress and publish it in the Federal Register. This determination lifted prior restrictions on military assistance to the successor state of the former Yugoslavia.

Federal Register Open PDF 68 FR 25809

Impact dates

Date TBD
Report finding to Congress and publish in Federal Register

Key directives

Determine that furnishing defense articles and services to Serbia and Montenegro strengthens U.S. security and promotes world peace
Authorize and direct Secretary of State to report finding to Congress
Authorize and direct Secretary of State to publish determination in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Secretary of State · Department of State

Timeline

Immediate

Determination effective upon signing May 6, 2003
Secretary of State authorized to report to Congress and publish in Federal Register

Near term (90d)

Federal Register publication completed May 13, 2003

Long term

Potential defense trade and security cooperation with Serbia and Montenegro enabled

Risks & tensions

Document does not specify a deadline for congressional reporting or Federal Register publication
Post-Yugoslav arms export eligibility involves complex regional stability considerations in Balkans
Determination reverses prior sanctions-era policy but does not explicitly cite prior restrictions being lifted