USA elects Kostinica “statesman of the year”

Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica is to begin a tour of the United States of America today, a tour during which he will be presented with the “Statesman of the Year” award by the East-West Institute. President Kostunica will hold talks with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York and tomorrow, in Washington DC, he will meet Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor, Condoleeza Rice. President Kostunica is expected to press Washington not to force Belgrade to cooperate with the Hague Court as a pre-condition before financial aid deals are signed. Meanwhile in Belgrade, the Yugoslav Parliament plans to strip SPS officials of their immunity so that they can stand trial for financial crimes during ex-President Slobodan Milosevic’s tenure of office. Yugoslavia has its own courts and legal system, it does not need its courts to elect its President and it does not need the USA to dictate its internal policy.

TIMOTHY BANCROFT-HINCHEY, PRAVDA.RU, LISBON