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A6 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 3 OctOber 2020
Pompeo pledges U.S. engagement on the Balkans

DUBROVNIK, Croatia (AP) They were very smart to de-
— U.S. Secretary of State vise this format of the rela-
Mike Pompeo pledged Fri- tionship and the political di-
day that Washington will alogue and the economic
remain engaged in the framework with the coun-
Balkans where China and tries of Central and Eastern
Russia have been gaining Europe," Plenkovic said.
political and economic in- "We are fully aware of all
fluence. the aspects of this policy
Pompeo spoke in the Croa- and our objective is to
tian Adriatic Sea resort of have a level playing field
Dubrovnik, the last leg of when it comes to both the
his European tour that also relationship between Croa-
included stops in Greece, tia or the other members
Italy and the Vatican. of the European Union and
"The United States no lon- China and its market, as
ger leads from behind,'' well as the Chinese pres-
Pompeo told reporters at ence here," Plenkovic said.
a news conference held Also discussed was Croa-
on the terrace of a hotel tia's planned purchase
overlooking the medieval of 12 fighter jets for its air
walled city. "We've been force, which includes an of-
incredibly engaged in this fer by the U.S. for new F-16
region on the diplomatic aircraft. The other bidders
front." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, listens as Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic are Sweden, France and
He praised a White House- speaks during a joint press conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. Israel.
mediated economic Associated Press On the eve of the visit,
agreement reached last its eyes off the Balkans after of "the risk connected to certainly benefited them Croatia's left-leaning presi-
month between Serbia the wars ended, Moscow what the Chinese Commu- but too often don't then dent, Zoran Milanovic, criti-
and its breakaway former and Beijing both rapidly nist Party does when it en- benefit the people of the cized Pompeo for allegedly
province of Kosovo. increased their footprint gages in this activity." country in which they're wanting to pressure Croa-
"We will continue to en- in the region. China did it "I want every country, in- commercially active," he tia to buy the U.S. aircraft.
gage in a serious way," he through its multi-billion-dol- cluding Croatia, to make said. "We also discussed how
said, referring to the region lar belt-and-road econom- sure they have their eyes At the joint news confer- American defense technol-
that was torn by civil wars ic program while Russia wide open when they're ence, Croatian Prime Min- ogies can grow our strate-
in the 1990s. "We are trying does it with political pres- engaged in commercial ister Andrej Plenkovic said gic and economic relation-
to leave these places in a sure, mostly through its tra- activity with the Chinese the government is aware of ship," Pompeo said, adding
way that they are connect- ditional Slavic ally Serbia. Communist Party, because China's goals in his country that the purchase of the
ed to the West." In an interview with N1 TV we have found that their and the region. fighter jets is Croatia's "sov-
As Washington mostly took on Friday, Pompeo warned predatory activities have "China is a global actor. ereign decision."q

Hong Kong murder suspect plans to turn himself in to Taiwan

(AP) — A Hong Kong murder sus- with money laundering for tak-
pect, whose case led the govern- ing Poon’s money and valuables,
ment to attempt to pass an extra- and served a prison sentence be-
dition bill last year that sparked fore being released in October
massive protests, is expected to last year. However, he could not
return to Taiwan this month to an- be sent to Taiwan because Hong
swer the charges of killing his girl- Kong, the semi-autonomous
friend. Chinese city, has no extradition
agreement with the island.
Chan Tong-kai, who is accused of Prior to his release, Hong Kong
killing his pregnant girlfriend Poon leader Carrie Lam used Chan’s
Hiu-wing in Taiwan in February case as justification for an extra-
2018 before fleeing back to Hong dition bill that would allow Hong
Kong, said Friday that his lawyer Kong to extradite suspects to oth-
was arranging for his return to er countries and territories.
the self-ruled island. In a voice re-
cording released to media, Chan However, many Hong Kong resi-
apologized to the Poon’s parents. dents opposed the move be-
“My determination to go back to cause it would also have allowed
Taiwan and hand myself in has suspects to be sent to mainland
never changed, please do not China to stand trial. The proposed
worry,” Chan said in the record- bill sparked months of anti-gov-
ing. ernment protests that occasion-
ally erupted into violent clashes
When Chan returned to Hong with police. The extradition bill
Kong in 2018, he was charged was later withdrawn.q