OMRI Daily Digest II, No. 66, 3 Apr 95
CONTENTS
[01] ODESSA SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH TURKISH REGION.
[02] BOSNIA FIGHTING INTENSIFIES.
[03] ZAGREB HAILS UNCRO ...
[04] ... WHILE BOSNIA AND MACEDONIA RECEIVE NEW MANDATES.
[05] BULGARIA, GREECE CALL FOR LIFTING OF YUGOSLAVIA SANCTIONS.
[06] ALBANIAN JUDGES RESIGN IN SIGN OF PROTEST.
OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 66, Part II, 3 April 1995
EAST-CENTRAL EUROPE
[01] ODESSA SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH TURKISH REGION.
Ukrainian Radio on 31
March reported that the head of Odessa Oblast Council, Mykola
Bohoyavlensky, signed an agreement with a Turkish delegation from
Kastamonou on economic and cultural cooperation. The two regions will open
naval, trade, and cultural representations on each other's territory and
will also start an air link between Odessa and Inebol. Odessa has called
for economic autonomy from Kiev and demanded that it be made an economic
free zone. -- Ustina Markus, OMRI, Inc.
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[02] BOSNIA FIGHTING INTENSIFIES.
International media on 3 April reported
that fighting in several parts of Bosnia continues to intensify,
including in the northwest pocket of Bihac. Bosnian government radio on
2 April said that waves of Serbian and rebel Muslim infantry and tanks
pounded the area, notably around the town of Velika Kladusa. According
to at least one local amateur radio report, "everything [was] burning
from shelling." Reuters the same day quoted UN spokesman Herve Gourmelon
as saying that only 185 explosions could be accounted for in the area
around Velika Kladusa, a number that the UN representative dubbed "not
exceptional." In other news, the U.S. ambassador to Bosnia on 2 April
announced that his departure from Sarajevo would take place on 19 April.
Ambassador Victor Jackovich, in a statement made available to the press,
said several members of staff will also be leaving over the next few
months. He added that "My departure--and that of my colleagues--should
be viewed as regular rotation for a posting in an environment as
difficult and risky as Bosnia." -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.
[03] ZAGREB HAILS UNCRO . . .
Croatian media have continued their coverage
of Zagreb's official reaction to the UN Security Council's passage on 31
March of Resolution 981, which permits a scaled-down UN mandate for
Croatia under the banner of UNCRO in Croatia (a derivative of UN
Confidence Restoration Operation). Vjesnik reports that Croatian Foreign
Minister Mate Granic welcomed the resolution, acknowledging that it
contains the much sought-after reference to Croatia in its title and
saying it "reaffirms the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the
Republic of Croatia." The newspaper on 1 April published the text of the
resolution, which affirms that the new UN mandate is expected to see the
shifting of some forces to positions along Croatia's international
borders and away from monitoring positions held by Croatia's own rebel
Krajina Serbs. Nasa Borba reported on 3 April that the Krajina Serb
leadership has predictably emerged as the most vocal opponent of the new
mandate, insisting that any change to the previous UN mandate is wholly
unacceptable. Reuters on 1 April quoted Milan Martic, president of the
self-styled Republic of Serbian Krajina, as saying the latest Security
Council Resolution "ignored the real situation . . . [which] will bring
into question our consent to the stay of peacekeepers in [Krajina]." --
Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.
[04] .. . . WHILE BOSNIA AND MACEDONIA RECEIVE NEW MANDATES.
The UN
Security Council has also passed Resolution 982, permitting the UN mandate
in Bosnia-Herzegovina to be extended until 30 November. Hina on 2 April
reported that Resolution 983 has also received the Security Council's
approval. The document stipulates that UNPROFOR in Macedonia "shall be
known as the UN Preventative Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) . . . and that
the mandate of UNPREDEP shall continue for a period terminating on 30
November 1995." -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.
[05] BULGARIA, GREECE CALL FOR LIFTING OF YUGOSLAVIA SANCTIONS.
Bulgarian
Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski and his Greek counterpart, Karolos
Papoulias, meeting in Sofia on 1-2 April, called for an end to the
international sanctions against rump Yugoslavia, AFP reported. They
proposed a conference of the region's main countries to press for the
sanctions to be lifted. Pirinski asked neighboring countries hit by
trade losses resulting from the embargo to appeal jointly to the United
Nations and other international organizations for compensation.
Papoulias proposed that Bulgaria, Belarus, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine,
and possibly Russia hold a conference in Athens later this month to
discuss a common strategy. Pirinski suggested that Albania, Austria,
Italy, Macedonia, and Slovenia also attend. He added that Bulgaria is
ready to accept $3 million from the International Monetary Fund in
compensation for trade losses due to the sanctions. -- Stefan Krause,
OMRI, Inc.
[06] ALBANIAN JUDGES RESIGN IN SIGN OF PROTEST.
The chief judge of Tirana's
district court and his deputies resigned on 31 March in protest at
government interference in their work, international news agencies
reported the same day. They accused Justice Minister Hektor Frasheri and
his deputy of interfering in the court's work and trying to bring it
under the jurisdiction of the Justice Ministry and government. Frasheri,
they said, tried to stop certain cases from being heard and to influence
the hiring and firing of even low-level employees. Gazeta Shqiptare
cited chief judge Agim Bendo as saying "our resignation is a protest
against the decisions of the justice minister." A Justice Ministry
spokesman called the resignations "hasty and unmotivated," insisting
that the Justice Ministry's actions "have been based in law." -- Stefan
Krause, OMRI, Inc.
[As of 12:00 CET] Compiled by Jan Cleave
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