A delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, headed by Assembly vice-president Gordana Comic, will pay a working visit to Washington from 6 to 9 May, in order to secure the necessary assistance in the Congress and the State Department for further economic reforms and the determined combat against organised crime in Serbia.

"While the leadership of Serbia continues to build strong economic reforms and fight corruption, it is very important that the United States of America, as well as other countries, should fully understand the determination of our people and leadership to sustain the political and economic stability we have built over the past two and a half years", Comic said. "Our mission in Washington will be to talk to those who support changes in legislation aimed at strengthening commercial links with Serbia, and to give them the necessary information which will help them in their efforts. We also plan to meet leaders opposed to such changes, in order to confront the attitudes which are slowing down the process of normalising our commercial relations with the United States", Gordana Comic stressed.

Apart from the vice-president of the Serbian Assembly, the delegation also comprises Bojan Pajtic, chairman of the DOS "Reform of Serbia" Deputies' Group and chairman of the Serbian Assembly's Legislative Committee, Vlatko Sekulovic, vice-chairman of the Committee on Development and Foreign Economic Relations, and Miroslav Filipovic, deputy to the Parliament of the Union of Serbia and Montenegro and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The delegation is to meet a large number of political and industrial leaders, including:

• Janet Bogue, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
• Congressman Benjamin Cardin - Assistant Democratic Whip and member of the Helsinki Commission
• The heads of the International Relations Committee - the body tasked with supervising US foreign policy in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress
• The Helsinki Committee - a US Government Agency which participates in formulating US foreign policy and monitors infringements of freedoms of speech, press and assembly

The delegation is also to meet the managers of several companies:
• IBM, the leading company in the field of computer technology and business consulting;
• General Electric, a global conglomerate providing services in the fields of electronics and finances;
• Siemens, a world leader in both electronics production and electronics engineering
• Time Warner AOL - a leading company in the field of media and entertainment

The media may obtain information directly by dialling 202/285-0211. Contacts are Ana Radicevic and Mira Ibrisimovic.