State Department Noon Briefing
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2000 1:10 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: Can we change the subject again? Is there anything new on the
Yugoslavia diplomatic relations angle?
MR. BOUCHER: I guess the news is that we have established that our
Embassy is not going to be useable for a couple months. But we
continue to proceed with the procedures that are involved in
reestablishing relations, and that should be done soon.
Q: What's wrong --?
MR. BOUCHER: And somehow I can't find my guidance, or I can tell you
more about that.
Q: Is it that it's crumbling, or has it been - it's basically out of
use, or is it something else, like it's been plastered with posters
and --
MR. BOUCHER: No. Water damage, out of use, that sort of thing. Our
inspections at the former Embassy building are part of the preliminary
steps we are taking with a view to establishment of diplomatic
relations. The old chancery is not currently in a physical condition
to serve as a working office. We expect it will be several months
before the building can serve as a fully functioning Embassy again.
We do continue to rotate diplomats in and out of our Embassy in
Budapest, to work in Belgrade. And we expect to formally establish
relations very soon, but we can't say precisely when. It is
accomplished, as we have said, by an exchange of letters between the
two presidents.
Q: You said last week or something - was it last week or early - it
must have been last week - that there was some kind of connection
between the actual building and establishing relations. Is that not
the case? I mean, you're not going to have to wait until --
MR. BOUCHER: We are not going to have to wait until the Embassy is put
into service. No, the connection is these are the preliminary things
you do. Clearly, if you can do it - if you can reopen the old Embassy
and establish relations in one fell swoop, that's nice, but generally
I think they're not necessarily related. And now that we know it will
take a couple months on the Embassy, we'll probably go ahead with the
establishment of relations soon without it.
Q: Where are they going to stay in the meantime?
MR. BOUCHER: We haven't specified locations, but they have found
places to work in Belgrade.
Q: But there's no thought of getting a new property? You're going to
use the old one?
MR. BOUCHER: My understanding is we're going to fix it up.
Q: And theirs here? Or did they complain? Was there anything --?
MR. BOUCHER: I'm not sure I know the exact physical status of their
Embassy here. No, I don't.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:45 P.M.)
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