U.S. TO HELP BALKANS JOIN EUROPEAN UNION

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Hina) - The United States government wishes to help south-eastern European countries to join the European Union, which, despite many obstacles, already has successful results, Elizabeth Jones, assistant to the state secretary, said on Wednesday. Addressing an American Congress sub-committee for Europe, Jones said the progress was especially evident after Yugoslavia extradited former President Slobodan Milosevic to the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The coming Kosovo elections, and recent democratic elections in Albania and Bulgaria, are also positive contributions. According to Jones, Bosnia-Herzegovina is gradually progressing in establishing democratic institutions, while Croatia has become a model for democratic reforms. With international support, Macedonia has stood up against rebellion and violence by relying on democratic instruments. Jones' address focused on three countries. In co-operation with European allies, the U.S. would like to stimulate economic recovery and attract foreign capital to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), improving the life of its citizens. To achieve self-sustained democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jones said, the United States must keep on supporting the return of the displaced, encouraging economic reforms and strengthening the law, and arresting war criminals. With regards to Kosovo, Jones said active work is needed to reduce the threats of a small number of extremists to the detriment of the moderate majority of population. As to American presence, Jones repeated the U.S. will remain in Southeast Europe in the political, military and economic sense. She said the final objective of the U.S. is to become redundant in the Balkans, where democratic institutions and a free market will become the foundations of stability. (hina) np ha