WASHINGTON – Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin applauded the extradition of former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic to the U.N. war crimes tribunal to stand trial "for crimes against humanity." Rep. Cardin, a commissioner on the Helsinki Commission which monitors human rights abuses, was a leader in the congressional effort to tie the turn over of Milosevic to U.S. economic aid for the war-torn Yugoslavia.

In 2000, Congress passed legislation that denied U.S. economic aid to Yugoslavia unless it met certain "benchmarks" of democratic development, including the prosecution of war criminals. "It's clear that the action of the U.S. Congress played a pivotal role in the decision of the Yugoslavian government to turn over Milosevic," said Rep. Cardin.

In March, concerned about the slow pace of the Yugoslavian government in cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY), Rep. Cardin wrote President Bush that: "U.S. economic assistance and support for multilateral assistance" must be withheld unless the Yugoslavian government "cooperates with the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, including access for investigators, the provision of documents, and the surrender and transfer of indictees."

The Yugoslav economy is in desperate need of money and is seeking at least $1.2 billion in aid, including $100 million from the United States.

In May 1999, Milosevic was indicted by the ICTY for alleged atrocities he ordered in Kosovo. The indictment specifies murder, deportation and persecution committed against the ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The U.S. State Department has reported that mass executions occurred in at least 70 towns and villages throughout Kosovo, and more than 600 Kosovar settlements had been burned since October 1998.

"Milosevic is the first former head of government to be brought before the war crimes tribunal. It's important that the world see that leaders who order or promote such atrocities are brought to justice. This is a clear signal that such ‘crimes against humanity' will never be tolerated," said Rep. Cardin.