State Department Noon Briefing
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2000 - 12:35 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: Yugoslavia. I'm wondering if you have any kind words or other
remarks to make about President Kostunica's decision to allow the ICTY
to open an office in Belgrade.
And, also, two other related things. What's the progress at all on the
embassy and formal diplomatic relations? And then on the appointment
of this new foreign minister, what is the Secretary - do you know
what the Secretary thinks about this guy, considering he is supposed
to be a human rights champion? Does she look forward to working with
him for the rest of her tenure?
BOUCHER: All right. On the first, the tribunal office in Belgrade, I
hadn't seen that. But it sounds like good news, but we'll look for
confirmation that it has been announced and look for confirmation that
it is good news.
The second issue, the new foreign minister. I think, broadly, we are
pleased that they have chosen a new federal government. They did this
on Saturday. This puts the government in place to move forward on a
whole range of issues, make progress on reintegrating Yugoslavia back
into the international community. Certainly, we have met with the
proposed foreign minister when he was proposed. We know him from some
discussions that we've had already with him, and we do look forward to
working with him at all levels here.
And the third question was one I can't remember now.
Q: The embassies and --
BOUCHER: Oh, the embassy. The process is under way. We are working on
having our discussions with the new government in Yugoslavia. We are
doing the walk-throughs of our property and their property. I think
they have done theirs. We do ours tomorrow. So, the process is under
way. I don't have a final sort of moment at which this will come to
fruition, but it could be fairly soon.
Q: On Friday, you said, in the very - you expect in the very near
future. Is that still very near future, or do you have a - could it
be this week, or are we talking about next week or next month?
BOUCHER: The very near future kind of applies, but that is a rolling
thing. It is still the very near future today. There are a number of
things, discussions that are happening, walk-throughs that are
happening, that need to coalesce, and we expect that to happen in the
very near future. But I can't put a date on it yet.
Q: And you said that U.S. is going to the embassy tomorrow?
BOUCHER: Yes, I think we take a further look at our embassy tomorrow
in Belgrade.
Q: On Friday and today again, you said, "their property." Now, are you
signaling a change in the U.S. policy towards succession, or is it
just a colloquial expression that you're using?
BOUCHER: I don't think it's intended to have a specific legal import,
but let me get the legal language for you on succession for you. It is
just a generic term; let's put it that way.
Q: One of the things that the Secretary mentioned many times, when
Milosevic was still in power, was the need to release political
detainees, and Flora Brovina has now been released, the poet-activist.
And I see there has also been a revolt in a Serbian prison, and the
prisoners are comparing it to a concentration camp.
Do you have anything you'd like to say to President Kostunica on that
subject?
BOUCHER: Not at this stage. We certainly welcome the release last
week, but on this particular event that you're talking about today, I
don't have anything.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:10 P.M.)
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