OSCE raises flag to open new office in Belgrade

BELGRADE, 16 March 2001 - The Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana, today officially opened the Belgrade office of the OSCE Mission to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

In a ceremony also attended by the Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia Goran Svilanovic and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer, the flags of the OSCE and the Council of Europe were hoisted outside the building jointly housing the offices of the two organizations.

"It is of deep symbolic significance that our two organizations are housed in the same building," said the Chairman-in-Office. "Our common house represents the common European house, and we have now opened the door for Yugoslavia to enter."

Friday afternoon, the Chairman-in-Office met with the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica; the Prime Minister of Serbia, Zoran Djindjic, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Nebosja Covic. Issues discussed were the current situation in Southern Serbia and the crisis at the border between Kosovo (FRY) and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Mr. Geoana emphasized the need to implement a regional approach to resolve the crisis in South-eastern Europe. "As the problems are crossing the borders, so should the solutions," said the Chairman-in-Office. Specifically, he mentioned the existing co-operation between international organizations active in the region and the possibilities of enhancing this co-operation. He offered the support of the OSCE to act as a catalyst in this process.

For more information, contact the Press and Public Information Section, OSCE Secretariat, tel.: +(43-1) 514-36-180, e-mail: info@osce.org; or Stella Ronner, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, tel: +(381-11) 3672 425 or +(381-11) 3672 427, fax: +(381-11) 3672 429, www.osce.org/yugoslavia