OSCE Chairman-in-Office attends funeral of assassinated Serbian Prime Minister

THE HAGUE, 17 March 2003 - The Netherlands's Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, in his capacity as Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, attended the funeral of the Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, on Saturday.

The OSCE was also represented at the funeral by Ambassador Maurizio Massari, on behalf of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro.

The Foreign Minister had earlier reacted with shock and great sadness to Wednesday's assassination on the street in Belgrade of the Serbian leader.

"I consider this murder an unacceptable attack on the process of democratization and the rule of law in the country", he said, adding his hope that those guilty would soon be brought to justice.

Pledging the Organization's firm commitment to help the Government support the democratization process in the country, he added, "I expect that the progress made in recent years in moving the country closer to European and international organizations in the field of security and human rights will not be derailed by this cowardly act of violence."

Minister de Hoop Scheffer reaffirmed his sincerest condolences to the family of Prime Minister Djindjic and to the citizens of Serbia at this difficult time.