POWELL SAYS U.S. WILL HELP SOUTHEAST EUROPE

SKOPJE, April 12 (Hina) - US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Skopje on Thursday his country would provide help to the region, denying speculations that the United States administration would not interfere in the region. We will help the region in both political and economic sense, and ensure military assistance when necessary as well as set an example in every way how to live in a multiethnic society, Powell told a press conference after a meeting of foreign ministers of Southeastern European countries. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers of Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Albania. After the meeting, the foreign ministers issued a joint statement in which they said they would continue to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). They also supported the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and rule-of-law in all parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The US Secretary of State pointed to traditionally good relations between the United States and Macedonia and invited Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski to visit the United States on May 2. Powell will visit Sarajevo and Pristina on Friday. Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula spoke at the meeting in Skopje about Croatia's standpoints on the situation in Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Picula also held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Macedonia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Romania, Greece and Hungary. (hina) it