Simitis writes to his EU colleagues pleading in favour of a stepping up the pace of diplomatic efforts

28/05/1999 (Agence Europe)

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis told a press conference on Wednesday that he had written to his counterparts in EU Member States asking them to strive so that diplomatic efforts to put an end to the conflict in Kosovo are stepped up in both pace and intensity. "We must secure results by the Cologne Summit, with the cooperation of all", said Simitis, adding: "If, at Cologne, we only discuss the war to see whether peace efforts are progressing or not, the disillusionment in our ability to manage crises will be widespread, and we shall see a strengthening of all those fighting against European unification".

Olivier Dupuis MEP (Belgian member of the Radical Alliance), moreover, was pleased to learn of the indictment of Slobodan Milosevic and other officials in Belgrade by the International Criminal Tribunal of The Hague. According to him, this may represent "a very important step forward towards a peaceful solution () a solution based on Justice rather than the obsessive attempt to deal with Milosevic". Mr. Dupuis recalled that, for years, "the Radicals, with Marco Pannella and Emma Bonino, have fought for international justice to deal with war criminals, and foremost Milosevic".

On Thursday, talks between the EU mediator Martti Ahtisaari, Russia's Viktor Chernomyrdin and the United States' Strobe Talbott continued in Moscow. Russian sources let it be understood on that occasion that Russia would continue its mediation despite Milosevic's indictment.