Powell Praises Serbia on Prisoners, Condemns Terror in Israel

(March 27 with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic) (1460)



After meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic at the
State Department March 27, Secretary of State Colin Powell praised
Serbia for transferring 146 Kosovar Albanian back to Kosovo and said
the main topic during their discussions was Serbian cooperation with
the war crimes tribunal in The Hague -- a pressing issue because
Powell must certify Serbian cooperation by the end of March.


Covic in turn told reporters that he had "provided our assurances that
we will do our best to solve all these issues."


Powell also took the opportunity to condemn the latest terrorist
attack in Israel.


"The Palestinian leadership must act to stop this kind of terror," he
said. "The United States remains committed to doing everything in its
power to bring this violence to an end and to move forward with a
process that will get us into the Tenet work plan, into the Mitchell
plan, and finally into the kinds of negotiations that will bring a
settlement. But this kind of positive activity cannot take place in
this atmosphere of terrorism and violence."


Powell said General Anthony Zinni will remain in the region and also
took note of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah's statement in Beirut March
27, characterizing it as "quite helpful to our efforts."


"The United States will remain engaged," the Secretary said. "We will
not let terrorists or terrorism take us away from our desire to see
peace in this region and for these two peoples eventually to live side
by side in peace. Terror cannot be allowed to prevail or to win."


Following is a transcript of Powell's and Covic's remarks:



(begin transcript)



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

Office of the Spokesman 

March 27, 2002



REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL AND SERBIAN DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER NEBOJSA COVIC AT STAKEOUT FOLLOWING THEIR MEETING


March 27, 2002

C Street Entrance



4:15 p.m. EST



SECRETARY POWELL: It was a great pleasure to receive this afternoon
Deputy Prime Minister Covic. We had a good discussion, and the area
uppermost in our mind today was the certification that I have to make
by the end of March with respect to Serbian cooperation with the
International Tribunal in The Hague.


I was pleased to note that the Serbian Government has transferred 146
Kosovar Albanians back to Kosovo, and I thanked the Deputy Prime
Minister for his leadership in making that happen. He also advised me
today of a decree that his government has passed that will make
cooperation with the Tribunal easier and on a sounder basis for
Serbian authorities.


There are other items that I hope the Government of Serbia will be
able to do in the days ahead, before I have to make my certification.
The Government of Serbia is quite aware of those items in which we are
interested with respect to access to archives and other indictees. We
have had a good cooperative relationship over the last 14 months on
these issues. So I hope that relationship will continue. I will make
my judgment about the certification over the weekend.


I would now invite the Deputy Prime Minister to say a word or two, if
he cared to.


DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER COVIC: I would like to thank Secretary Powell.
We had a very good and constructive meeting. I believe that we have
seen the full understanding in regards to the major attempt, which is
ahead of us, which is the certification issue. We are aware of the
fact that we have a very short time ahead of us, but we also want to
emphasize that we have inherited a lot of very difficult problems.


We have provided our assurances that we will do our best to solve all
these issues, but the process of solving these issues will be much
easier with your assistance. I believe that we will be able to
overcome this moment and that we will be able to continue with
democratic processes in our country.


I would like to thank again Secretary Powell.



SECRETARY POWELL: Before turning it over to questions, let me take
this opportunity to join the President in condemning the terrorist
attack that took place in Israel this afternoon, which took the lives
of innocent civilians -- who had gathered to celebrate their religion,
to celebrate their faith -- and wounded so many more. Our hearts go
out to the victims and to their families.


The Palestinian leadership must act to stop this kind of terror. The
United States remains committed to doing everything in its power to
bring this violence to an end and to move forward with a process that
will get us into the Tenet work plan, into the Mitchell plan, and
finally into the kinds of negotiations that will bring a settlement.
But this kind of positive activity cannot take place in this
atmosphere of terrorism and violence.


General Zinni will remain in the region. He will remain engaged. He
has made progress in recent days in bringing the two sides closer
together towards the start of the Tenet plan. And I take note of Crown
Prince Abdullah's statement in Beirut today, which I think was quite
helpful to our efforts. The United States will remain engaged. We will
not let terrorists or terrorism take us away from our desire to see
peace in this region and for these two peoples eventually to live side
by side in peace. Terror cannot be allowed to prevail or to win.


Questions.



QUESTION: Secretary Powell, how much trouble is the peace process in,
given the fact that Arafat didn't go to the Arab Summit, and today's
bombing in Israel?


SECRETARY POWELL: Every one of these bombings sets us back, but at the
same time, it renews our determination. The fact the Chairman did not
-- Chairman Arafat did not go to the summit is a fact; he appeared by
television. We would have preferred for him to attend the summit
meeting. We thought it would have been a more positive step than not
going. But that's behind us now. I'm concentrating my efforts once
again on General Zinni's work, and on taking maximum advantage of the
positive elements that do come out of the summit meeting.


QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can you give us some details on the progress
that General Zinni has made?


SECRETARY POWELL: I really would rather not. Both sides had -- I will
tell you a little bit, but not the whole thing -- both sides had their
version of a Tenet work plan and how they would be able to move
forward into the work plan. General Zinni discussed with each side
their work plan, narrowed the differences, and then had a proposal
that would bridge the differences. That proposal is gaining currency
with both sides, and we will see what will happen in the days ahead.


I'm not sure that much will happen in light of the upcoming holiday
period, but General Zinni will remain through the holidays, ready to
engage and ready to work at whatever pace the two sides are willing to
work at. But this is the time for Chairman Arafat to get on
television, to get on radio, to speak to his people, to tell them that
they are destroying their own desire and vision for a Palestinian
state living side by side in peace with Israel, behind secure and
recognizable borders. This is the time to stop this kind of activity,
and to bring under control all those elements of the Palestinian
Authority that might be participating or allowing these kinds of
activities to go on. This sort of activity, and the tolerance of this
sort of activity, will destroy the very vision that the Palestinian
Authority stands for and Chairman Arafat says he is committed to.


QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, what do you have to say to Americans abroad
against whom new threats have just been made in Italy for the Easter
Sunday? There are threats to our own people on holidays as well.


SECRETARY POWELL: There is a higher threat level in Italy, and we have
made a public announcement to that effect. What I would say for those
who are traveling in Italy and in the specific places that were
mentioned, be prudent, be careful; enjoy yourselves, but display some
caution in your activities, where you are, travel together and just be
very careful and prudent in your activities.


Thank you.



QUESTION:  Thank you.



QUESTION:  Any phone calls?



SECRETARY POWELL: I have (inaudible) conversations (inaudible)
Ambassador and Consul General, and with General Zinni. But I have been
doing other -- I have not made any calls.


QUESTION:  Thank you.



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3 3/27/02



(end transcript)



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