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U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Press Statement

Press Statement by James B. Foley, Deputy Spokesman
May 6, 1999

Yugoslav Navy Closes Port of Bar in Montenegro

The U.S. strongly condemns recent actions by the Yugoslav Navy to close the port of Bar in Montenegro. This action will impose economic hardship on Montenegrins and obstruct efforts by humanitarian relief organizations to deliver food and relief supplies to the thousands of displaced Kosovar Albanians who have sought and received shelter in Montenegro.

The port of Bar is Montenegro's economic lifeline to the outside world and humanitarian relief organizations have used it as a distribution hub for relief supplies since early 1998. Closing the port is clearly designed to undermine Montenegro's democratically-elected and pro-reform government by choking the Montenegrin economy and imposing additional hardship on displaced Kosovar Albanians. We call on the FRY authorities to reopen the port as soon as possible and avoid provoking an even greater humanitarian tragedy.

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