U.S.DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman (New York, New York) September 14, 2000 REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT AT PRESS AVAILABILITY September 14, 2000 New York, New York SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Good afternoon. I just came from a working lunch with my counterparts from the European Union, including Commissioner Patten and High Representative Solana. It is always a pleasure to have a productive meal with my friends, especially when the Europeans pick up the bill. (Laughter.) I can joke about burden-sharing today because the US and the EU partnership is strong and growing stronger. The range of issues we invariably discuss underscores the depth and breadth of our relationship. During our meeting, we devoted a considerable amount of time to Southeast Europe. And there are a series of critical elections in the weeks ahead, and we are united in our call for free and fair elections in Serbia. We discussed ways that the US and the EU can make clear our solidarity and increase our support for the courageous men and women who are demanding their rights in cities and towns across Serbia. We also agreed that there is a need to reinforce our efforts under the Stability Pact to carry out projects that have a timely and tangible impact on people's daily lives. And this can only be done by backing up our pledges with resources and by ensuring that we all meet our Stability Pact obligations. Of course, winter has always been a time of testing in the region, and we are already discussing with our European partners a strategy for assisting Kosovo's communities in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. Our productive dialogue on European Security and Defense Policy also continued today, and we are now working on the basis of a shared vision, one that strengthens both European capabilities and the trans-Atlantic link. We will continue to work together closely to ensure that the NATO-EU linkages enhance both institutions and to support the involvement of non-EU NATO allies in EU security deliberations. ... Q: Madame Secretary, I am supposed to give you a very warm welcome on behalf of the United Nations Correspondent Association, since I am the president. Welcome. It's good to have you be alive. The first question is regard -- actually, it's not first, but it's regarding Serbia. Yesterday, one of the opposition leader, Mr. Djindjic, have said on the -- (inaudible) -- radio that as soon as they are becoming opposition and they win the election, obviously they are going to apply for the seat at the United Nations. Now, what do you think if that is going to jeopardize somehow in the long range the prosperity of Montenegro for solving all its problem in a way to become independent state? SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Well, first of all, you've asked a lot of different questions. I think that we have felt for some time that the current occupant of the Yugoslav seat at the United Nations is not the SFRY, which is what they theoretically represent, and that Tito's flag is still out in front of the United Nations. The other states that were part of Yugoslavia have reapplied for membership as themselves, and Serbia -- hopefully a free and democratic FRY which would also include Montenegro -- would, at the appropriate time, reapply. We support the democratic forces of Montenegro and we have discussed at great length the importance of the role that President Djukanovic is playing. That is not an independent Montenegro, but a Montenegro which can and -- if the opposition wins -- will be able, we hope, to operate with in a more democratic Serbia -- Yugoslavia. And I think that what is important here is that the opposition in Serbia continue to work very hard for these elections which, unfortunately, we are concerned that Milosevic will steal. But I think that it is important therefore for the international community and for the Serbian people to be vigilant throughout the whole process, especially the counting process, so that they can expose what happened and reject the results if the election is stolen. I think that the Serbian people should have a right, just like everybody in the world, to vote the government they want and to have a free and fair count.
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