United Nations

NEW YORK, 10 August (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

Bernard Miyet, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, met with the Charge d'affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Vlaislav Jovanovic in order to convey to him the deep concern of the Organization at the arrest of two British Nationals working with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), as well as two Canadian citizens arrested at the same time.  A military prosecutor in Podgorica has submitted a request to bring an investigation against these national for attempted terrorism, violation of Yugoslav territorial integrity, infiltration of weaponry and armaments into Yugoslav territory and prevention of military officials from carrying out their duties.

Mr. Miyet, on behalf of the Secretary-General, demanded access to the detained UNMIK members by representatives of the Organization.  He further demanded that the Yugoslav authorities honour their obligation demanded that the Yugoslav authorities honour their obligation under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and grant immediate access to the detained persons by representatives of their Governments.  Mr. Miyet demanded similar access for the Government of Netherlands to its nationals arrested by the Yugoslav authorities some time ago.  He insisted that all the detained be allowed access to a lawyer of their choice.

Mr. Jovanovic undertook to convey these concerns to the relevant authorities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.  He expressed his conviction that access to the Dutch nationals by their Government had already been granted and that access to the British and Canadian nationals to their Governments would be granted in a very short time.