OSCE welcomes democratic change in Yugoslavia

VIENNA, 6 October 2000 - The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, expressed her satisfaction with the democratic change which took place last night in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. "The will of the people, expressed in the presidential elections of 24 September, has won despite all manipulations, illegal moves and delaying tactics of Milosevic. I welcome that this breakthrough took place in a responsible way and that the security forces respected the will of their own people. I admire the courage of the Serbian people," Ms. Ferrero-Waldner said.

"The past decade of the rule of Milosevic brought tremendous suffering for the people of former Yugoslavia: four wars, hundreds of thousands of people killed, millions of refugees and displaced people are part of the sinister developments of his era," Ms. Ferrero-Waldner said.

"I expect that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under the new democratic leadership will soon become an integral part of the international community. As Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, I will support the integration of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in international bodies", Ms. Ferrero-Waldner added.

The CiO repeated her call for an immediate release of the two British members of the OSCE mission in Kosovo and their Canadian friends imprisoned in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

For further information contact the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180 or e-mail: info@osce.org