TÁNAISTE CONDEMNS POLICE BRUTALITY IN BELGRADE

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dick Spring, said today that he utterly condemned the continuing use of force against protesters in Serbia.

The Tánaiste said that he was appalled by the police brutality against peaceful demonstrators and journalists in Belgrade in recent days as well as reports of violence in other cities last week, adding that such behaviour by the Serbian authorities was likely only to aggravate the situation and deepen the political tension in that country. He said that responsibility for the latest violence rested squarely with Serbian President Milosevic and the Belgrade leadership.

Mr. Spring reiterated the view of the Government and the EU that the Belgrade authorities must refrain from the use of force and engage in peaceful dialogue with the Opposition. It was imperative that the recommendations of the special OSCE mission of December 1996, in which Ireland participated as EU Presidency, must be fully and immediately implemented.Top