STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Sopranos fanatics, this one is for you. Tony Soprano's autographed Suburban is available for purchase on eBayTM. James Gandolfini has personally signed the vehicle. Find this and over 800 other Sopranos items for sale on eBay. http://www.bcentral.com/listbot/ebay ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Deal lets U.S. investors back into Yugoslavia BELGRADE, July 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. government's Overseas Private Investment Corporation signed a deal on Saturday to boost private U.S. investment in Yugoslavia and support its economic reforms. The OPIC agreement also allows a $150 million Southeast Europe Equity Fund, managed by Soros Private Funds Management, to start doing business in Yugoslavia. "Today's agreement not only signals the green light for the U.S. investors but indeed is a signal to the entire international investment community that Yugoslavia is open for business," Peter Watson, OPIC president and CEO, told reporters. The pact replaces a previous one signed in 1973 with the former six-member communist federation. OPIC, a U.S. government agency facilitating private investment, has not been active in Yugoslavia since the break up of the old state in 1991. The deal comes as discontent with reforms grows and people fear massive job cuts as the federation of Serbia and Montenegro struggles to reshape the economy and woo investors after a decade of sanctions, isolation and mismanagement under the rule of ousted leader Slobodan Milosevic. Dragisa Pesic, Yugoslav outgoing finance minister and prime minister designate, welcomed the OPIC deal. "I am happy to have signed the agreement and opened space for more intensive economic ties between our two countries. I believe the investment support will help Yugoslavia's economic development," said Pesic, who will assume the post next week. Pesic is a member of Montenegro's opposition Socialist People's Party (SNP), which quit the last government in protest at Serbian reformers' decision to hand former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic over to the U.N. war crimes tribunal. But the SNP agreed to form a new cabinet with Serbia's reformers in return for a new government structure, with an equal number of ministers from Serbia and Montenegro so neither side can outvote the other. "This is a very good time to commit the confidence of the United States in the reform process that you are undertaking," Watson said after the signing ceremony. "This is the beginning and we look very much forward to working with you and making your reform process a success," he said. 13:04 07-21-01 ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
