[ALBSA-Info] Powell: Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo are on the itinerary

[Iris Pilika]

Powell to tour Balkans

Powell: Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo are on the itinerary
April 4, 2001
Web posted at: 1641 GMT


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will travel to the 
Balkans next week, State Department officials have told CNN.

A senior official said that Powell will travel to the region following a 
meeting next Wednesday with the Contact Group on Yugoslavia in Paris.

Another official said stops would include Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo.

A visit to Macedonia would show U.S. and NATO support for the government as 
its continues to try and contain ethnic Albanian rebels.

Powell is not expected to travel to Yugoslavia amid continuing tension over 
the fate of former president Slobodan Milosevic.

Despite having certified that Belgrade met conditions for $50 million in 
U.S. aid, the Bush administration is still looking for further cooperation 
with the International War Crimes Tribunal, including handing over 
Milosevic.

Yugoslav President Kostunica has said that Milosevic will first be tried at 
home for domestic crimes, and has suggested he might not be turned over to 
the Hague at all.

On Tuesday en route to Washington, Powell reiterated that Milosevic 
"ultimately must be brought before the Hague to answer charges against him."

In releasing the money, Powell had qualified it by saying the U.S. would not 
support a donors conference to raise further aid for Yugoslavia later this 
year unless further steps were taken.

He expanded on this saying that before offering support was offered, he 
would be examining "all elements" U.S. law requires of Yugoslavia, including 
cooperation with the tribunal, "dealing with minorities, their relationship 
to Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska under the Dayton accord."

Next Wednesday's Contact Group includes the United States, Britain, France, 
Italy, Germany and Russia and Powell is expected to meet separately with 
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on the sidelines of the gathering.



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