The United States is increasing its aid to Montenegro for promoting democratisation and economic reform.

A State Department spokesman said that the Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, had taken time out from the Middle East peace talks near Washington to telephone the Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic.

The spokesman said Mrs Albright had expressed support for the President's moderate policies, and promised a further sixteen million dollars of aid subject to consultation with Congress. Over sixty million dollars of US aid had already been pledged to Montenegro this year.

The American move follows the rejection by President Djukanovic of changes proposed by Belgrade to the federal constitution of Yugoslavia -- of which Montenegro is a constituent part.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service