RUSSIA: CHERNOMYRDIN MILOSEVIC PRESS CONFERENCE скачать в хорошем качестве

RUSSIA: CHERNOMYRDIN MILOSEVIC PRESS CONFERENCE

(23 Apr 1999) English/Nat Russia's envoy to the Balkans claims Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has agreed to the presence of an international force in Kosovo. Former Russian premier Viktor Chernomyrdin called the move a huge step forward. However, Chernomyrdin's comments contradict remarks by Yugoslavia's Foreign Ministry and even a reported text of Chernomyrdin's meeting with Milosevic on Thursday. And NATO says the reported Yugoslav offer falls well short. Former Russian Premier Viktor Chernomyrdin spent the whole of Thursday with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Afterwards, he said that Milosevic had accepted the idea of a U-N-controlled international presence in Kosovo. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "Yugoslavia has agreed to the presence of representatives of other countries. Of course military, of course with the agreement of Yugoslavia, of course. Therefore, we have to work now with the NATO countries. Who should be present, what's the make-up (of the force), what are the parameters, what do we want to resolve?" SUPER CAPTION: Viktor Chernomyrdin, Former Russian Premier It is the first proposal by Yugoslav authorities of any kind of acceptable international presence in Kosovo. What is not clear is whether, indeed, Milosevic is proposing an international military presence. If he is not, the proposal would fall well short of NATO's demands if the bombing is to stop. In fact, the plan reportedly calls for the withdrawal of NATO forces amassed at Yugoslavia's borders. Instead, it calls for an international presence in Kosovo with the participation of Russia, under the auspices of the U-N and on agreement from Yugoslavia. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "Russia will definitely play a role. Why? Because the presence of other states on the territory of Kosovo can't happen without Russia taking part." SUPER CAPTION: Viktor Chernomyrdin, Former Russian Premier Before agreeing to any respite in the month-long NATO air campaign against Yugoslavia, the United States and its allies are demanding a full withdrawal of Yugoslav army and Serbian police forces from Kosovo. They also want agreement from Milosevic that a strong NATO-led armed force be allowed into the province to police the return of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanian refugees. The latter is an interest apparently shared by the Russians. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "The refugees have to be returned home, their safety has to be secured, that's what we need. Therefore, everything we needed to agree to, and was possible to agree to, we did agree to at yesterday's talks. Now we need to work with the other side." SUPER CAPTION: Viktor Chernomyrdin, Former Russian Premier Russia has strongly denounced the NATO airstrikes against its ally Yugoslavia and has sought to serve as a peace broker. To date it has been unsuccessful. Russian President Boris Yeltsin has said that his country will not be dragged into the military conflict despite its sympathy for Yugoslavia. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...