USIA - State Department Report, 97-03-26

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From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>

REPORT ON STATE DEPT. BRIEFING, MARCH 26, 1997

(Belarus, Middle East, Bosnia, Zaire) (580)

BELARUS -- The United States is expelling a Belarusan diplomat in Washington in retaliation for the March 24 expulsion of the First Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk.

The United States informed the Belarusan Charge d'Affaires the morning of March 26 that its First Secretary and Consul Vladimir Gramyka has been declared "persona non grata," Dinger said. Gramyka has 24 hours to leave the United States, although his family will be given additional time to leave. "These are the same terms under which our diplomat in Minsk was expelled," Dinger said.

"Mr. Gramyka is being expelled in retaliation for the unwarranted and unjustified expulsion March 24 of the First Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk Serge Aleksandrov. The Vienna Convention requires no explanation for declaring someone persona non grata," Dinger explained.

Aleksandrov was arrested at an opposition rally on March 23 and accused of spying for the Central Intelligence Agency. The U.S. Embassy said Aleksandrov was carrying out normal diplomatic duties by observing the protest events and accused the Belarusan Government of "arbitrary and unjustified" action.

Dinger said the United States remains "deeply concerned by the accelerating slide towards authoritarianism in Belarus. We are also very troubled by the downturn in our bilateral relationship with Belarus."

U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Kenneth Yalowitz has been recalled to Washington "for consultations." Yalowitz is expected to arrive in Washington March 27; no date has been set for his return to Belarus.

"We are considering further steps to take and have not ruled out any action, " Dinger said.

MIDDLE EAST/ROSS -- Ambassador Dennis Ross left Washington, D.C. the morning of March 26 to travel to the Morocco and Israel for consultations on the Middle East peace process, Dinger said. Ross is the State Department's Special Middle East Coordinator. He will meet with Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat. Ross is expected to return by the weekend in order to brief the President and Secretary Albright.

Dinger said Ross is taking presidential messages with him to both Arafat and Netanyahu.

BOSNIA -- Dinger acknowledged that Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic has expressed publicly some disappointment over the pace of the "train and equip" program designed to proved the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina some parity with the militarily superior Bosnian Serbs.

"I think that that is a difference in perception," Dinger said of Izetbegovic's comments during a visit to Washington, D.C. "Whereas he perhaps has seen that as being 'a glass half empty,' frankly we see the train and equip program as 'a glass half full.' We frankly feel the pace of the program has been quite satisfactory and is moving towards successfully meeting its goals," Dinger said.

Izetbegovic met with President Bill Clinton March 26.

ZAIRE -- The Zaire government announced March 26 proposals for two new governmental bodies: a council to seek national consensus to settle the current crisis peacefully, and a seven-person committee of negotiators.

"That announcement appears on the surface to be a positive step," Dinger said. "We are waiting to get more details on the proposed bodies before making further comment." The United States is urging the Zaire government and the alliance of rebels to begin an immediate ceasefire and negotiations.

From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov

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