(13 May 1999) English/Nat
The former Australian president Malcolm Fraser has arrived in London from Belgrade after failing for the second time to secure the release of two Australian aid workers.
The aid workers were detained on the border of Croatia and Yugoslavia and are being held on suspicion of spying
Malcolm Fraser, the former Australian President, described his trip to Belgrade as very frustrating.
He said that he was applying for a new visa to go to Belgrade in the hope of meeting high ranking officials with some influence.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"A couple of points I can make in spite of this being a very frustrating visit. I had a very good talk with Mary Robinson who is very much on top of the issues. I am not sure if she got to see the president but if she did she certainly was going to raise the issue of the two Australians. And Sergio Vieira de Mello who is a very senior person in the United Nations hierarchy and will be leading the needs assessment mission throughout Yugoslavia which I think is now being agreed between the United Nations and Yugoslavia. It is a team of about 18 people. Sergio Vieira de Mello is also very much on top of the issues and he has certainly told me that he is going to do what he can to assist. So we are gathering people who are in position of significant influence and I am delighted to see that the United Nations is now becoming more involved with the issue then it has been in earlier time not only with the issue of aid to people but the general issue of Yugoslavia and NATO."
SUPER CAPTION: Malcolm Fraser, Chairman of CARE Australia
CARE is the only aid organisation working in any significant size working in Belgrade but most of them pulled out when the air campaign began.
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