State Department Noon Briefing, October 10, 2000
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2000 1:15 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. BOUCHER: Let me describe where we are, if I can, okay? The current
plans are for Jim O'Brien, James O'Brien, to travel to the region this
evening. He is going to be going to Kosovo, to Sarajevo, and to
Belgrade. We haven't set the final order, so I can't tell you exactly
when he will arrive there. Jim O'Brien is the President and the
Secretary of State's Special Advisor on Balkans Democratization. As
such, he is the most senior figure in the Administration dealing
exclusively with Balkans issues, and it is appropriate that he meet
with Dr. Kostunica. So we expect that to be taking place in coming
days.
As far as Ambassador Montgomery's travel, I don't have any update for
you on that. As you might expect, it is expected that he will go to
Belgrade, but I don't have his precise timing on that yet.
Q: Can I ask the question that I wanted to ask, please?
MR. BOUCHER: Please.
Q: What is the timetable, then, for reopening Embassy Belgrade?
MR. BOUCHER: The answer is soon, but I can't give you a precise
timetable.
Q: The answer is soon. And on the sanctions, the White House is saying
sometime this week?
MR. BOUCHER: Again, you might even say very soon on the sanctions. We
--
Q: But you are not connected, is that correct?
MR. BOUCHER: No. We are consulting closely with our European partners,
and look to harmonize the lifting of sanctions with them. We support
the European Union's October 9th decision to lift all sanctions
imposed on Yugoslavia since 1998, with the exceptions of the
provisions affecting Milosevic and his associates. Any announcement of
the changes on the US side will come out of the White House, because
of the mechanism by which our sanctions are structured. We would
expect to be able to announce details soon, but I can't tell you
today, tomorrow, or the exact time frame.
As far as reestablishing formal diplomatic relations, this is still
being discussed with the new government. We would hope to do this soon
as well, and then look to a rapid expansion of our assistance and
other kinds of steps that we can take to help the regime consolidate
itself and get on with the task of rebuilding.
Q: Who is discussing that on the US side?
MR. BOUCHER: I think we have had telephone contacts. I think you know
the President talked to President Kostunica over the weekend.
Q: Right.
MR. BOUCHER: And I think we remain in touch with people on their side
telephonically. We don't have anybody there yet.
Q: Could you do a little --
Q: Could you do an update --
Q: It's obvious why he is going, I mean, it's symbolism, but it also
has some substance, I imagine. Can you get into, even if it is an
obvious list, what it is he is going to take up with the president for
one thing?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I think, to look at the general situation, the new
government is in the process of consolidating its control. We would
say they are well on their way towards consolidating control, and you
keep seeing examples of this. For example, the latest, they have
reached agreement with opposition leaders to hold elections in
mid-December for a new Serbian parliament. That is a process that we
certainly encourage, that we hope will continue, and in any way we can
contribute to that, obviously we would like to do so.
In terms of the visit of Jim O'Brien, a great many issues to discuss.
I am sure we will want to bring the new government up to date on the
process of lifting sanctions, discuss with them how to handle the
targeted financial and visa sanctions, which are targeted on Milosevic
and his cronies, and to make sure that we don't do anything in that
process that allows them to loot assets or somehow misuse their assets
in that regard -- or state assets in that regard.
Second of all, we will want to discuss how we can assist with the
process of rebuilding, and more generally with the process of
integrating the new government in Serbia into international
institutions. There is what is this so-called "outer wall" of
sanctions that has to do with membership in international
institutions, and US law has quite a few things that need to be taken
up in that regard as well.
Q: And it is still policy -- could you repeat that we are in favor of
Kosovo in self-rule, which was said someplace right after the
installation?
MR. BOUCHER: Our policy on Kosovo has not changed at all.
Q: Oh, excuse me, if I could jump ahead to the war crimes issue again.
Here we go again. You know, we have all heard it discussed over the
weekend. You no longer are saying take him to The Hague right away.
Apparently, you feel there should be some consolidation first.
Kostunica doesn't want his predecessor tried in The Hague, as I
understand. Will he be told he is wrong, or would you sort of talk
about other things?
MR. BOUCHER: My answer on this is the same one that the Secretary has
given all weekend. We have not changed our policy in this regard. We
continue to support the tribunal. We continue to believe in the rule
of law, and that the rule of law needs to be implemented and taken up
in all its aspects, and that Serbia needs to be integrated into the
rule of law that applies in Europe. So these issues need to be taken
up in that context.
Q: So on that note, will Jim O'Brien press President Kostunica to hand
Milosevic over to The Hague, though?
MR. BOUCHER: Again, I think we know our policy is clear. We know that
this is an issue that involves the rule of law. And we will discuss it
in those terms.
Q: Kosovo. Now that Yugoslavia is democratic again, how do you rate
the chances of being able to persuade the Kosovo-Albanians to accept
some kind of reintegration back into Serbia, and what do you doing to
persuade them that this is their best option for the future?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I have ever stood up here and tried to give
odds on any particular eventuality. I think I need to say, though,
clearly that our policy on Kosovo is the same. We were looking at
self-government within Yugoslavia; that remains our position. I think
everybody in the region is quite aware of that. How that issue gets
taken up and discussed in the coming days or weeks, we will just have
to see.
Q: I know, but does it -- just a quick follow-up. Is it now easier to
envisage closer links between Kosovo and the rest of Serbia? Serbia
proper, or whatever you like to call it?
MR. BOUCHER: Certainly, the end of a government in Belgrade that was
involved in ethnic cleansing, the installation of a government in
Belgrade that believes in democracy and the rule of law, makes
everything in the region easier, removes a source of great
instability, but how exactly that issue gets taken up and worked out,
we will just have to see.
Q: I want to ask a couple of questions about a possible aid package,
because the US didn't place any conditions on the lifting of
sanctions, because it said that the US had made a promise to the
people, that if they turned out and got a democratically-elected
government, that the sanctions would be lifted. But it is possible to
place conditions on an aid package, and (inaudible) has called on the
EU to condition any aid on Kostunica's cooperation in getting
Kosovo-Albanians released from Serbian prisons. Is that something that
the US might link an aid package to, and are there any other things,
such as Milosevic in The Hague, that we might put as conditions on
aid?
MR. BOUCHER: I think first and foremost, what the Secretary said over
the weekend remains true. It is important the people in Serbia who
stood up, who fought for this, and who gained this victory for
democracy, that they see the democracy dividend, and that all of us
who have been looking to remove the instability and reintegrate Serbia
into Europe, into a peaceful Balkans that is based on democracy, need
to support that process. I think that applies not only to the lifting
of sanctions, but also to looking at a rapid expansion of our
assistance to the new government, obviously in cooperation with our
European allies. Exact amounts are still being discussed, and we would
work with the European Union; they have invited the European
Commission and the World Bank to lead in the evaluation of needs and
coordination of economic and financial assistance. So that process is
under way, and we do think it is important that it continues.
The kinds of conditions that you are talking about, the issues that
you have raised, are indeed part of US legislation when it comes to
the international financial institutions. So those are issues that
will certainly need to be addressed in that context.
Q: Well, in bringing Congress into this, you had said earlier -- and
that is the other thing I wanted to ask, about the size of this aid
package -- you had said earlier that the State Department was looking
at aid that might already be in your budget, that might be available,
and then the possibility of asking Congress for a supplemental.
MR. BOUCHER: I don't remember saying that.
Q: Are you definitely going to ask Congress for money, and how much?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't -- we don't have an exact amount yet. We will
have to see.
Q: Richard, on Meet the Press on Sunday, the Secretary was asked about
Milosevic in The Hague, and although she said that the policy remains
the same, her emphasis was on accountability, and the war crimes
issue, and the importance of having individual accountability. It
seemed to be leaving the door open for possible accountability in
Belgrade. Would the US entertain any --
MR. BOUCHER: I think she said quite clearly, I have said quite
clearly, consistently, our policy on this has not changed.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:25 p.m.)
(end State Depar
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