USIA - State Department Report, 97-02-21

U.S. State Department: Daily Press Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

REPORT ON STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, FEBRUARY 21, 1997

(Tajikistan, Christians/Egypt, Serbia) (400)

TAJIKISTAN -- The mounting violence in Tajikistan has prompted the State Department to order the departure of dependents of U.S. official personnel working in that country, Davies said. Five dependents will be leaving; there are 12 official Americans with the U.S. Embassy in Dushaube. Dependents will leave on regularly scheduled commercial flights.

"It was a decision prompted by concern over the deteriorating security situation," Davies said. "It's true that thus far only ethnic Russians have been targeted, but in our judgment the situation is such that we should also bring dependents out."

The latest round of violence occurred on February 18, when six ethnic Russians were killed. Two of the six were employed as U.S. embassy guards; they were off-duty when they were "assassinated," according to Davies.

About 65 private American citizens not connected with the U.S. Embassy are in Tajikistan. They are being informed of the U.S. decision to remove dependents of official personnel, according to Davies. "We are telling them what we know about the security situation and what in our estimation is the risk," Davies. "They can make their own call based on what we're doing."

CHRISTIANS/EGYPT -- The United States is condemning the murders in the last few weeks of Coptic Christians in Egypt. "Freedom to practice one's religion is one of the most fundamental human rights," Davies said. "We are pleased to note that the highest levels of Egypt's Moslem establishment have strongly condemned this heinous act."

SERBIA -- Members of Serbia's opposition coalition have finally been allowed to take their positions in government after winning the November 17 elections. "We welcome the step as an important move in the right direction, " Davies said. "We expect that municipal assets -- including the local broadcast media -- are fairly transferred, and that the Serbian government will work constructively with the new city governments.

"But we view this as the first step, not the last. We're looking for further signs that the Serbian government is willing to enact significant democratic reform, and we renew our call on the Serbian government to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the democratic opposition," he said.

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

U.S. State Department: Daily Press Briefings Directory - Previous Article - Next Article