USA: SERBIAN PREMIER ZORAN DJINDJIC VISITS

(2 Feb 2001) German/Nat

The Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic is in Washington D.C for meetings with U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Djindjic will also be meeting with U-S State Department officials and Kosovar officials while in Washington.

High on the list of concerns for Serbian and Kosovar officials is the current unrest sparked by the rioting of ethnic Albanians against peacekeepers in Kosovo.

Djindjic said the first meeting with Powell had gone well but they had hard work ahead of them before conflicts in the region would be resolved.

SOUNDBITE: (German)
"The first meeting was very successful with the new U.S. Secretary. We discussed a variety of issues that are specifically relevant for Serbia, and also regional issues such as Montenegro, Kosovo, etc., the Hague Tribunal and economic developments as a method to solve regional issues. As a democratic government, we got open support to solve such issues. We outlined that for the past 12 years we have tried to build national states, tried to set up borders between those national states, and all that it has brought us is conflict and wars. We have to improve our integration, we have to interact more on the economic front, and we have to develop regional projects. Once this is completed we can then concentrate on other issues."
SUPER CAPTION: Zoran Djindjic, Serbian Prime Minister

The Bush administration also wants to calm European fears that it will not abandon its peacekeeping duties in the Balkans.

Serbian officials emerged from the Friday morning session with Powell and other U-S officials feeling optimistic, particularly regarding efforts to boost economic development in the Balkans.

Powell was also to meet with officials from Kosovo on Friday on a range of issues regarding the troubled Balkan region.

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