DIPLOMAT: AMERICANS REMAIN IN NATO MISSIONS IN KOSOVO AND BOSNIA

PRISTINA, April 13 (Hina) - The United States will continue being engaged in the missions of NATO in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, the US Ambassador to the alliance, Nicholas Burns, said. #L# The American diplomat said in an interview to the Pristina daily "Koha Ditore" that his country would abide by its commitments, and added that Washington had withdrawn no soldier from the Balkans to the Persian Gulf. He added that during his recent tour to Bosnia he had given a clear message that the US troops would remain deployed as part of NATO in the alliance's missions both in Bosnia and Kosovo. Any possible cut in the number of American soldiers in Kosovo does not depend on the United States but on NATO, the ambassador said adding that Washington would not take any unilateral move. NATO's Council is responsible for making decisions on the matter, Burns said. He refuted allegations about negotiations being held on that European Union would take over the mission of NATO in Bosnia in 2004. The stand of the United States is that NATO's mission should continue in Bosnia, he said adding that the mission in Bosnia was not the same as in Macedonia (where the EU has recently took over some jobs from NATO), Burns said. (hina) ms