OMRI Daily Digest II, No. 152, 7 August 1995

From: "Steve Iatrou" <[email protected]>

CONTENTS

  • [01] CZECH POLITICIANS ON WAR IN CROATIA.

  • [02] SERBS SIGN SURRENDER AGREEMENT.

  • [03] TUDJMAN VISITS KNIN.

  • [04] "OPERATION STORM" WAS NO MISNOMER.

  • [05] "BIHAC IS SAVED."

  • [06] WHAT NEXT?

  • [07] STANDOFF BETWEEN KARADZIC, MLADIC.

  • [08] MILOSEVIC CONDEMNS CROATIA.

  • [09] BELGRADE ON WAR FOOTING?

  • [10] SESELJ DEMANDS BOMBING OF ZAGREB.

  • [11] BULGARIAN CONSTITUTIONAL JUDGES WANT TO TAKE GOVERNMENT TO COURT.

    •

    OMRI DAILY DIGEST

    No. 152, Part II, 7 August 1995

    EAST CENTRAL EUROPE

    [01] CZECH POLITICIANS ON WAR IN CROATIA.

    President Vaclav Havel on 6 August expressed support for Croatia's military offensive in Krajina, Czech media reported. He argued that Zagreb has waited long enough for the international community to settle the conflict between Croatia and the rebel Krajina Serbs. When the international community proved unable to enforce or negotiate such a settlement, "Croatia decided for military action aimed at renewing the integrity of its territory," Havel said. Responding to the killings of two Czech soldiers during the offensive on 5 August, Havel said he was in favor of withdrawing the Czech battalion from Croatia. Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec, however, said on 6 August that Zagreb's military action was premature because the possibilities for a negotiated settlement had not yet been exhausted. "At the same time, we realize that [the offensive] is "an action within the boundaries of a sovereign state," Zieleniec commented. -- Jiri Pehe, OMRI, Inc.

    SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

    [02] SERBS SIGN SURRENDER AGREEMENT.

    Croatian Serb forces on 7 August agreed to what the BBC called a surrender. They will hand over their heavy weapons to the UN at four control points--in Topusko, Glina, Zirovac, and Dvor --and then cross into Bosnia. They will be permitted to keep their hand weapons, but the Croats soon charged that the UN was letting them take a number of big guns, too. Croatian spokesmen said earlier that the "Republic of Serbian Krajina" has ceased to exist. All roads in Sector South are open to traffic. In eastern Slavonia, Serbs declared a war alert and exchanged artillery salvoes with the Croats. Also in the night of 6-7 August, two Bosnian Serb aircraft from Banja Luka attacked a petrochemical plant at Kutina, in central Croatia, Reuters reported. A rocket assault on Karlovac wounded five, and an air raid took place against Nova Gradiska on 7 August. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [03] TUDJMAN VISITS KNIN.

    Hina on 6 August reported that Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, paying a triumphal visit to the former capital of Krajina, said that the Croats' victory means "more than just conquering Croatian land, this means the creation of conditions for the stability of the Croatian state for centuries to come." The town fell on the morning of the previous day when Serbian units broke and fled before advancing Croatian troops. There was widespread destruction following a Croatian artillery barrage that began on 4 August, in the wake of which the Krajina civilian and military leadership escaped to Bosnian Serb territory. Reports of the death or injury of Krajina "President" Milan Martic have not been confirmed. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [04] "OPERATION STORM" WAS NO MISNOMER.

    Croatian spokesmen on 6 August said they have completed 80% of their objectives and will wrap things up by the end of 7 August. The BBC quoted UN officials as agreeing with the Croats. The myth of Serbian military prowess evaporated in the southern part of Krajina, which the Croats easily overran. The northern area proved to be tougher; but by the end of 6 August, Petrinja, Slunj, Plitvice and its national park, and the Udbina airfield were in Croatian hands, according to Hina. There were reports of Serbian artillery attacks against Osijek, Vinkovci, and other Croatian areas in eastern Slavonia, but Bosnian Serb centers such as Drvar and Trebinje were also reportedly in a state of alert. Spanish Radio on 5 August said that the Serbs shelled Mostar, not far from where Spanish peacekeepers are stationed. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [05] "BIHAC IS SAVED."

    This is how Croatian spokesmen on 6 August describedthe importance of Operation Storm for the embattled northwest Bosnian enclave. International media noted that the Bosnian Fifth Army Corps under General Atif Dudakovic broke through at Trzacke Rastele to join up with Croatian forces. This movement and the advances of the Croats left Krajina cut into several pieces. The Croatian role in saving Bihac was a main factor in Washington's reluctance to criticize Croatia for launching the operation. Secretary of State Warren Christopher even spoke of "beneficial results." Serbia's traditional allies--Russia, France, and Great Britain--led the field in condemning Zagreb, but the Security Council and EU mediator Carl Bildt also added their criticism. A Croatian UN spokesman replied that "Croatia is not the problem; Croatia is the solution," the BBC reported on 5 August. Hina added that Foreign Minister Mate Granic slammed Bildt in a letter that accused the mediator of "a complete lack of political wisdom" both in recent days and throughout the course of his work in the former Yugoslavia. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [06] WHAT NEXT?

    Maj.-Gen. Ivan Tolj, the Croatian Defense Ministry'sspokesman, told Croatian media on 6 August that eastern Slavonia will be reintegrated peacefully now that the Serbs have seen what the Croatian army can do. The BBC noted, however, that there were several incidents and fatalities as UN peacekeepers were caught in crossfire and at least one Dane and two Czechs were killed. Mlada fronta dnes on 7 August reported that the Czechs died after the Serbs hijacked the rescue vehicle sent for them. What exactly happened in some other incidents remains unclear. The biggest problem for the UN , however, appears to be the flight of most of the Krajina Serbs. Croatian Radio appealed to them to stay, and Hina said on 6 August that some did. But Serbian media urged the Serbs to leave, and the UN expects that the largest single migration of the Wars of the Yugoslav Succession will be the result. One estimate said the total could go as high as 200,000, the BBC noted. Bosnian government sources said they feared the Serbs were deliberately bringing Krajina's panicked population to Bosnia to offset their manpower shortages there. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [07] STANDOFF BETWEEN KARADZIC, MLADIC.

    The BBC on 5 August reported that Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic tried to sideline military commander General Ratko Mladic by appointing him to coordinate operations with Krajina. Mladic the following day responded that such a job does not exist and that he will stay in his post as long as the soldiers and civilians back him. Some 18 generals signed a letter supporting Mladic. The two internationally wanted war criminals have a history of differences over power and tactics, but rarely has their feud become so public. It was dragged into the open at a session of the Bosnian Serb "parliament," which backed Karadzic, saying that the military must yield to civilian control. Karadzic appealed to Serbia to help the Bosnian and Krajina Serbs. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [08] MILOSEVIC CONDEMNS CROATIA.

    Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, following meetings in Belgrade with UN mediator Thorvald Stoltenberg, issued a statement saying "it has become apparent that Croatia represents the biggest threat to peace in the Balkans . . . ; [the rump Yugoslavia] justly expects that the international community takes action in keeping with its proclaimed principles and commitment to peace," the International Herald Tribune reported on 5-6 August. Meanwhile, federal rump Yugoslav authorities on 6 August urged the UN Security Council to undertake "urgent action" against Croatia, AFP reported. -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.

    [09] BELGRADE ON WAR FOOTING?

    AFP on 6 August reported that the rumpYugoslavia was fortifying its defenses along the border with Croatia. Eye-witnesses the previous day reported having observed "a column of armored troop transport vehicles and other military vehicles . . . [leaving] the barracks of Banjica in Belgrade, headed for the Croatian border." Meanwhile, Belgrade has reportedly ordered the partial mobilization of specialized and elite units. -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.

    [10] SESELJ DEMANDS BOMBING OF ZAGREB.

    Vojislav Seselj, alleged war criminal and leader of the Serbian Radical Party, has urged bomb attacks on Zagreb and Osijek. Speaking one day after being released from prison, Seselj claimed that "the Serbian traitor (President) Slobodan Milosevic" is refraining from a military response because he has reached a deal with Croatian President Franjo Tudjman whereby the Croats capture Knin in exchange for their giving up claims on eastern Slavonia, BETA reported on 4 August. Seselj added that Milosevic is seeking the "destruction of the political and military leadership of the Republic of Serbian Krajina and the Republic of Srpska." Seselj was arrested after clashes with police at an anti-Milosevic demonstration in Gnjilan on 2 June. -- Fabian Schmidt, OMRI, Inc.

    [11] BULGARIAN CONSTITUTIONAL JUDGES WANT TO TAKE GOVERNMENT TO COURT.

    The Bulgarian Constitutional Court on 4 August unanimously decided to appeal to the Supreme Court after the government announced it will move the court out of its offices in the government building (see OMRI Daily Digest, 4 August 1995), Demokratsiya reported the following day. The judges argued that the cabinet has no right to change the offices and thereby paralyze the activities of the Constitutional Court, the Presidency, or the parliament. Constitutional Court Chairman Asen Manov said President Zhelyu Zhelev has promised his assistance in the matter. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

    This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media Research Institute, a Prague-based nonprofit organization.

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