Paris, 26 May 1997 (RFE/RL) -- The United States says Secretary of State Madeleine Albright plans to press a U.S. initiative to reinvigorate international peace efforts in Bosnia during talks with French and Russian officials in Paris today.
State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns says the world needs to act urgently to secure peace in Bosnia before the NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) there is withdrawn about a year from now.
Albright planned having lunch today with French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette and a private dinner this evening with Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov.
Burns says America's dispute with France over who will head NATO's Southern Command will also likely be on Albright and de Charette's agenda. The United States insists on an American in charge. France wants command duties split more equitably between U.S. and European officers. Burns says the dispute has eased but is not about to be resolved soon. Albright has just begun a week-long trip to Europe for talks on NATO expansion and U.S.-European relations.
State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns says the world needs to act urgently to secure peace in Bosnia before the NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) there is withdrawn about a year from now.
Albright planned having lunch today with French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette and a private dinner this evening with Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov.
Burns says America's dispute with France over who will head NATO's Southern Command will also likely be on Albright and de Charette's agenda. The United States insists on an American in charge. France wants command duties split more equitably between U.S. and European officers. Burns says the dispute has eased but is not about to be resolved soon. Albright has just begun a week-long trip to Europe for talks on NATO expansion and U.S.-European relations.