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Russia Sends Observer to Contact Group Meeting


Geneva, March 18 (RFE/RL) - The Russian government has reconsidered its position and has sent an observer to today's meeting of the five-nation contact group and Balkan leaders with U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher in Geneva.

The Russians initially had said the meeting was unnecessary and they would boycott it because Russia is hosting a similar meeting of the contact group and Balkan Foreign Ministers in Moscow on Saturday.

They reconsidered their position after Christopher telephoned Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov and urged Russia to attend.

Christopher told reporters last night that today's talks are designed to support the Moscow meeting and to ensure that it will be a success. He said implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords in Bosnia is a difficult task and that it would be useful even to have daily diplomatic meetings.
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