WASHINGTON EXPECTS MILOSEVIC'S EXTRADITION TO THE HAGUE VERY SOON

WASHINGTON, June 26 (Hina) - Washington is expecting the extradition of Slobodan Milosevic to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) very soon, and assesses that Belgrade is working on it resolutely and expeditiously. A senior US official on Tuesday said that State Secretary Colin Powell had talked with Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic on the phone and that U.S. Ambassador in Belgrade, William Montgomery, met Djindjic to discuss the matter on Tuesday. Concrete and detailed talks were conducted with Djindjic, said the official after being asked whether the date for Milosevic's hand- over had been defined. On Tuesday Washington welcomed moves and the announcements about the cooperation between the FRY (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) with the ICTY. A spokesman for the State Department, Richard Boucher, described the Yugoslav government's adoption of the cooperation decree as an important positive step, and added that as a result of this move, US representatives would probably attend a donors' conference, set for Friday in Brussels. There is a recommendation about the participation in the Brussels conference, but an official decision must be made by State Secretary Colin Powell, Boucher said. Powell is expected to announce his decision later in the day before his departure on tour to the Near East. (hina) ms