Powell to tour Balkans

Powell: Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo are on the itinerary

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will travel to the Balkans next week, State Department officials have told CNN.

A senior official said that Powell will travel to the region following a meeting next Wednesday with the Contact Group on Yugoslavia in Paris.

Another official said stops would include Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo.

IN-DEPTH Macedonia: Hurdles to peace   •  Balkan hotspots   •  Interactive map   •  Macedonia's military   •  News search   •  Audio/video archive   •  In-Depth: Yugoslavia   •  In-Depth: Kosovo

A visit to Macedonia would show U.S. and NATO support for the government as its continues to try and contain ethnic Albanian rebels.

Powell is not expected to travel to Yugoslavia amid continuing tension over the fate of former president Slobodan Milosevic.

Despite having certified that Belgrade met conditions for $50 million in U.S. aid, the Bush administration is still looking for further cooperation with the International War Crimes Tribunal, including handing over Milosevic.

Yugoslav President Kostunica has said that Milosevic will first be tried at home for domestic crimes, and has suggested he might not be turned over to the Hague at all.

On Tuesday en route to Washington, Powell reiterated that Milosevic "ultimately must be brought before the Hague to answer charges against him."

In releasing the money, Powell had qualified it by saying the U.S. would not support a donors conference to raise further aid for Yugoslavia later this year unless further steps were taken.

He expanded on this saying that before offering support was offered, he would be examining "all elements" U.S. law requires of Yugoslavia, including cooperation with the tribunal, "dealing with minorities, their relationship to Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska under the Dayton accord."

Next Wednesday's Contact Group includes the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Russia and Powell is expected to meet separately with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on the sidelines of the gathering.

U.S. approves aid to Yugoslavia
April 2, 2001
Macedonia takes rebel positions
March 25, 2001

US State Department
Yugoslav Government
Macedonian Government

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