DATE=10/14/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-267946
TITLE=KOSTUNICA SWITZERLAND (L-only)
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
INTRO: Flush from his success at the European Union summit in Biarritz, France, the new Yugoslav President, Vojislav Kostunica, has received more promises of assistance from Switzerland. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva airport where Mr. Kostunica met the Swiss President at a brief stopover on his way back to Belgrade from the E-U summit.
TEXT: Yugoslav President, Vojislav Kostunica spent only a short time with his Swiss counterpart, Adolf Ogi. But, it was long enough for him to get the help he was seeking. Mr. Ogi says Switzerland plans to increase its humanitarian aid to Yugoslavia and will develop programs of financial and technical assistance.
///OGI ACT///
Most important, we invite Yugoslavia to join the Swiss group in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. After this meeting, I have the strong feeling ladies and gentlemen,the strong feeling that Yugoslavia will become a guarantor of peace in the Balkans with such a president.
///END ACT///
Yugoslav President, Kostunica, acknowledges the importance of the support he has received from both the E-U and Switzerland. He says it finally will allow Yugoslavia to live a normal life and have normal relations with other countries.
The Yugoslav leader says building a decent, democratic society is uppermost in the minds of the Yugoslav people. He says, for now, people are not interested in what happens to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. He says turning Mr. Milosevic over to the International Criminal Tiribunal in the Hague is not important right now.
/// KOSTUNICA ACT ///
Today, we are just thinking about the new life, new beginning without Milosevic. One day or another, the justice will come for Milosevic, for somebody else maybe, for somebody in NATO that was responsible for some of the problems. But, at this moment, we are thinking of normal, democratic life,normal relations with our neighbors, European Union, the United States, the Russian Federation- that is our priority.
///END ACT///
The Swiss and Yugoslav Presidents say they will cooperate with each other in trying to locate and return any money which may have been deposited in Swiss banks by Mr. Milosevic, his family and associates.
Last week, Switzerland froze more than 58 million dollars in bank accounts held by associates of Mr. Milosevic. So far, no accounts have been found in Mr. Milosevic's name. (Signed)
NEB/LS/PT
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