(27 Aug 2001)

1. Mid view of Richard Boucher starting briefing
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman
"First of all we make clear that we condemn the violence over the weekend. Particularly in this circumstance Macedonia needs calm in order to proceed with disarmament and with the political action that is necessary. We extend our condolences to the family of the British soldier and to the family of those killed in the explosion. We expect Macedonian authorities to conduct a full investigation into these incidents. As for Essential Harvest, NATO forces began to collect weapons today outside of Kumanovo. NATO continues to believe that the operation can be completed in thirty days if the parties cooperate. We will certainly urge them to do so. We also expect Macedonia's political leaders to pursue rapid implementation of the framework agreement to take necessary steps towards building a real peace."
3. Cutaway of reporters
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman
"Our position on targeted killings is the same. It hasn't changed, we remain opposed to targeted killings. We thinks Israel needs to understand that targeted killings of Palestinians don't end the violence but are only inflaming an already volatile situation, making it much harder to restore calm."
5. Wide shot of Boucher
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman
"Consular officials from the United States, including our Consular General, David Donohue, and Consular officials from Australia and Germany, as well as relatives of the detainees, went to Kabul this afternoon and were able to meet with the detainees today in Kabul. They report that the conditions of detention are fine and that the people are in good health."
7. Cutaway of reporters
8. Wide shot of Boucher

STORYLINE:

In Washington on Monday the U-S State Department has been reacting to the latest violence in Macedonia and the Middle East, and the visit to detainees held in Kabul by the Taliban who accuse them of preaching Christianity.

NATO forces deployed in Macedonia to collect arms from ethnic Albanian rebels suffered their first casualty on Sunday.

Youths threw a block of concrete that struck a British soldier in the head and killed him on Sunday evening.

The dead man was identified as 20 year old Ian Collins of Britain's 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers.

Operation Essential Harvest went ahead as planned on Monday as NATO began collecting arms from ethnic Albanian rebels who handed over mortars, machine guns and other heavy weaponry.

The United States State Department Spokesman, Richard Boucher, expressed its condolences to the British soldier's family but indicated that the NATO weapons collection mission.

Boucher said the initial deadline of thirty days for disarmament was still viable.

In the Middle East, relatives and colleagues of a Palestinian leader assassinated by Israeli forces on Monday vowed to avenge his death, announced through mosque loudspeakers in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

63 year old Zibri, also known as Abu Ali Mustafa, was killed in his Ramallah office.

He led the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a leftist group opposed to Palestinian-Israeli peacemaking.

He was the highest-ranking Palestinian official to be assainated in Israeli attacks that have claimed some 50 Palestinian lives since the current Middle East violence erupted nearly 11 months ago.


According to Boucher, the Israelis and the Palestinians have to turn to a political framework to end the violence.






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