DATE=5/30/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NATO / YUGOSLAVIA (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262982
BYLINE=STEFAN BOS
DATELINE=BUDAPEST
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  NATO Secretary General George Robertson says 
he is concerned by reports that Yugoslavia may be 
working on the development of nuclear weapons.  Stefan 
Bos in Budapest reports Mr. Robertson made the comment 
at a meeting of the NATO parliamentary assembly in the 
Hungarian capital.


TEXT:  One of the speakers at the NATO assembly -- the 
director of the U-S based Center for Nonproliferation 
Studies, William Potter -- said research shows that 
Yugoslavia may be able to develop nuclear weapons 
within two years.

NATO Secretary General George Robertson told reporters 
the report is worrying, and it is another reason to 
seek the ouster of Yugoslav President Slobodan 
Milosevic.

            /// ROBERTSON ACT ONE ///

      If he has ambitions in the areas of terror 
      weapons, then that is another good reason why we 
      should get rid of him as early as possible.

            /// END ACT ///

Scientists have said Russia and the United States 
should work together to make sure Yugoslavia does not 
misuse its estimated 50 kilograms of weapons-grade 
material.

NATO Secretary General Robertson said he urged Russian 
Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to end what he called 
Russia's close ties with officials in the Yugoslav 
government, some of whom have been indicted for war 
crimes by the U-N Tribunal at The Hague.

            /// ROBERTSON ACT TWO ///

      We also took the opportunity of expressing our 
      serious concern of the invitation to Moscow of 
      (Yugoslav) Defense Minister (Dragoljub) Odjanic, 
      an individual who has been indicted by the 
      international criminal tribunal for the former 
      Yugoslavia, the United Nations' own tribunal.  
      And Foreign Minister Ivanov made it clear that 
      this was due to an inter-agency mix-up and that 
      disciplinary steps would be taken against those 
      responsible, and that the president of the 
      international criminal tribunal had been 
      informed.

            /// END ACT ///

A number of delegates at the four-day NATO assembly 
meeting voiced concern about U-S proposals to develop 
a new limited missile defense system that they said 
could lead to a new arms race with Russia.

Secretary General Robertson admitted there are 
disagreements within the alliance on the missile 
question as well as on a European Union proposal to 
develop its own military force and other issues.

            /// ROBERTSON ACT THREE ///

      Good discussions on the development of European 
      defense, on national missile defense, on 
      finishing the job in the Balkans, on the 
      enlargement process are taking place.  Of course 
      there are going to be areas where there are 
      differences of opinion.

            /// END ACT ///

Mr. Robertson also said talks will continue with 
Balkan and Baltic nations that want to join NATO all 
at the same time.  But he said no decision on 
additional NATO expansion will be made before 2002.   
(Signed)

NEB/SB/JWH/JP




30-May-2000 15:06 PM EDT (30-May-2000 1906 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.