Powell to meet Yugoslav leader

Kostunica came to power in Yugoslavia last year

CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will meet with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica on Wednesday, State Department officials have told CNN.

In addition, Kostunica will meet U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice at the White House, the officials said, with the off-chance President George W. Bush might "drop by."

Officials said the timing of this meeting was designed to coincide with an awards ceremony in New York at which Kostunica will be honored.

However, officials acknowledged the obvious "symbolism" of the highest level meeting between U.S. and Yugoslav officials in years.

The purpose of the meeting is to "re-enforce the democratic reform movement in Yugoslavia," explained one State Department official.

Also on the agenda will be Belgrade's level of co-operation with the International War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague and regional issues in southern Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro.

In Kosovo, the Bush administration would like to see Yugoslav support for encouraging participation by Kosovo Serbs in interim governance, officials said.

Kostunica was elected president last October in democratic elections, but then-President Slobodan Milosevic refused to leave office. Kostunica then led a "people power-like coup," which forced Milosevic out of power.

Last month, Powell decided to certify that Yugoslavia had met U.S. conditions for $50 million in economic aid, but said that authorities in Belgrade still need to demonstrate greater cooperation with the war crimes tribunal.

The certification followed the arrest the previous weekend of Milosevic by Yugoslav authorities.

A senior State Department official called the arrest a significant factor in the decision to certify Yugoslavia and a "major step forward" in Belgrade's integration back in the international community.

The official called Milosevic's arrest a good example of Yugoslavia "standing up for the rule of law," but said the United States won't hold a donor's conference to further assist the Yugoslav economy until Belgrade takes certain concrete steps to further illustrate its commitment to justice.

The United States has not handed the Yugoslav government a "precise list" of what it wants Belgrade to do, but this senior official said the demands include guaranteed cooperation with the war crimes tribunal and handing over more indicted suspects.

Belgrade has indicated Milosevic will first be tried in Yugoslavia on domestic charges, rather than war crimes, and has voiced skepticism about handing him over to the Hague.

Powell is to meet Tuesday with Carla del Ponte, the chief war crimes prosecutor.

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U.S. State Department
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

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