Albright, Iceland's Asgrimsson Press Conference Sept. 30
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(Reykjavik, Iceland)
September 30, 2000
JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT AND
FOREIGN MINISTER OF ICELAND HALLDOR ASGRIMSSON
Reykjavik, Iceland
September 30, 2000
QUESTION: You mentioned that you discussed the need for the world to
recognize the opposition's victory in the Yugoslav elections. I'm
wondering how you interpret then reportedly President Putin's decision
to send Foreign Minister Ivanov to Belgrade?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think that it is very important for everybody to
understand that Milosevic lost in this round. Just the way the signs
in Belgrade say that the opposition is holding up, he is finished. It
is time for him to go.
When I spoke with Foreign Minister Ivanov, and I am going to speak
with him a little later today again, is I have said if they have
questions about what these protocols are, that the opposition -- the
opposition has protocols from virtually all the polling stations --
and they should take a look at them and assure themselves that these
are elections in which the opposition won overwhelmingly. And I am not
sure that Foreign Minister Ivanov is going. I am trying to determine
that in a phone call. I think that it is a good idea. I think the
Russians need to make clear also that they understand that this has
been a procedure in which the opposition has won.
....
QUESTION: I have a two-part question, the first one about Yugoslavia.
Do you believe that the Contact Group could or should move in the
coming days? Second question is about the Middle East. There are
clashes still going on today in Jerusalem and parts of the occupied
territories. Don't you believe this violence could harm or even
compromise the whole peace process in the region?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Let me do the Middle East first. We are very
concerned about the violence that is taking place. It clearly is
counterproductive as far as moving on the peace process. I spoke
yesterday with Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami as well as with
Chairman Arafat, and we spoke about the importance of restraint and
the danger of a cycle of violence developing. We are in a very
delicate stage in the talks and I think that it is very important that
this violence stop. I think that it is very counterproductive.
On Yugoslavia, I think that we are all in touch with each other, and
as I said I am about to speak to Foreign Minister Ivanov and I have
been speaking to the other members and you know, we are going to be in
Paris, so I can't answer the question specifically. We certainly are
all in contact with each other, but whether as a Contact Group we will
meet or not I am not sure. It is possible but I am not sure.
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