HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------U.S. diplomat in secrets scandal leaves Belgrade
WASHINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - The United States has withdrawn from Yugoslavia the diplomat arrested at a Belgrade restaurant this month and accused of receiving military secrets from his dinner partner, a Serbian deputy prime minister.
"He has left. It was deemed that he should come back here," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Thursday.
The United States has never identified the diplomat but a military court said he was John David Neighbor, a first secretary. Washington has declined to comment on reports he was the CIA station chief in Belgrade.
Neighbor was arrested by Yugoslav military police on March 14 and held for 17 hours of questioning despite his protestations of diplomatic immunity.
The Yugoslav army said it had evidence that Neighbor's companion, former army chief Momcilo Perisic, had passed military secrets to Neighbor. The United States denied it. Perisic quit as deputy prime minister last week but maintained he was innocent of the accusations against him.
The State Department said on March 19 that the diplomat was still at his post. Boucher said he left about a week ago.
15:38 03-28-02
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