EU Announces Aid for SerbiaThe 15-nation European Union (EU) announced Thursday its aid of 220 million US dollars for Serbia as Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister were visiting EU and NATO headquarters here.Svilanovic and Covic met with senior officials at main office of the European Commission, the EU executive body, to discuss a Belgrade proposed peace plan for the Presevo Valley, where conflicts took place recently between Serb forces and ethnic Albanian separatist rebels. Announcing the aid program, EU Commission Chris Patten said the EU currently is considering what long-term contribution it can make under a 240 million euro (220 million dollars) program for Serbia in 2001. "In the meantime, we have decided to double immediately the scale of our effort in the Presevo valley area. I am happy to announce an additional 900,000 euro (828,000 US dollars) contribution under the European Commission's emergency program for Serbia," he said. The Commissioner for external relations also said the EU is determined to contribute more to prevent further conflict in southern Serbia. |
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