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Serbia Today 96-02-05
5 February 1996
In This Edition
KOSOVO IS NOT A CONDITION FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF THE RELATIONS WITH FR YUGOSLAVIA
RETURNING HOME - TO FIND ASHES
THE NUMBER OF CONTROVERSIES AMONG ALLIES IS GROWING
CONTENTS
[01] THE POLITICAL DIALOGUE AND A CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH OF FRY AND USA - DECISIVE FACTORS FOR PEACE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
[02] MILOSEVIC: A VERY IMPORTANT VISIT -- CHRISTOPHER: FURTHER IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS
[03] AUSTRALIAN STATE OFFICIALS VISITING BELGRADE
[04] KOSOVO IS NOT A CONDITION FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF THE RELATIONS WITH FR YUGOSLAVIA
[05] BROAD COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE
[06] LACK OF FOOD FOR THE REFUGEES
[07] NATIONALISM INFILTRATED THE SOCIETY
[08] THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE REJECTS CROATIA
[09] RETURNING HOME - TO FIND ASHES
[10] PROTESTS FOR THE ARREST OF SERBIAN OFFICERS
[11] BLACKMAIL FROM SARAJEVO
[12] THE NUMBER OF CONTROVERSIES AMONG ALLIES IS GROWING
[01] THE POLITICAL DIALOGUE AND A CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH OF FRY AND USA - DECISIVE FACTORS FOR PEACE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Yesterday Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic received US
Secretary of State Warren Christopher, visiting FR Yugoslavia
with his assistants. Mr. Milosevic stressed that Mr.
Christopher's visit undoubtedly manifests the progress made
in the Yugoalav-American bilateral cooperation and the
successful evolution of the peace process in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. FR Yugoslavia attributes great importance to
this visit, convinced that it will contribute to the
intensification of comprehensive cooperation between the two
countries on broad bases, as well as to the reaffirmation of
the traditionally friendly relations. The political dialogue
and the constructive approach used by FRY and US were the key
factors in achieving peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is
why the continuation of this dialogue has an essential
importance for the normalization and renewal of bilateral
relations as well as for creating the perspective of a
lasting stability and integration in this part of Europe. The
American side stressed the irreplaceable positive role played
by FRY, both in achieving and in successfully implementing
the peace agreement. Both sides agreed that the successful
implementation of the peace plan for Bosnia will continue
until its completion, with the broadest possible support of
the governments of Yugoslavia and the American
Administration. It has been stressed during the talks that
Yugoslavia is pursuing a policy of peace, equitable
cooperation and neigh borly relations, as well as an
accelerated development of the national economy and
technology, and that it is welcoming comprehensive
international collaboration on equitable bases, which
requires the renewal of its active involvement in the UN and
other international organizations. Our country expects that
the US will show understanding and offer support for our
country in international organizations. (Politika, February
5, 1996)
[02] MILOSEVIC: A VERY IMPORTANT VISIT -- CHRISTOPHER: FURTHER IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS
After a two-hour meeting, the President of Serbia and the US
Secretary of State addressed the reporters, expressing
satisfaction for having met and exchanged opinions regarding
the current situation. President Milosevic stressed that this
is the first visit of the US Secretary of State after five
years, which is a symbolic indication of the changes in
mutual relations. "Basically, we talked about two important
issues. One of them is the realization of the Dayton
Agreement in general, and in this sense we are both
optimists. The other was the bilateral relations and we share
optimism in this sense as well." - President Milosevic said.
Expressing satisfaction for having come to Belgrade, Mr.
Christopher remarked that he has been "...given reassurances
by the President about the determination to implement the
Dayton Agreement" and that he hopes for "...a further
enhancement of the relations between our countries."
(Politika, February 5, 1996)
[03] AUSTRALIAN STATE OFFICIALS VISITING BELGRADE
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister - Mr. Slobodan Babic and the
Minister of Transports and communications - Mr. Aleksa Jokic,
met with Mr. John Cherody, high trade envoy of the Australian
Government for Eastern and Central Europe, and with Mr. Noel
Campbell - Charge d'Affaires of the Australian Embassy in
Belgrade. It has been remarked during the meeting that both
sides are interested in renewing and broadening the
cooperation between Serbia and Australia, especially through
Australian companies that are involved in intensive financing
of east-European economies. The Serbian side indicated its
expectations that Australian representatives will endorse the
reintegration of FRY in the UN, and IMF and other
international institutions. (Borba, February 3-4, 1996)
[04] KOSOVO IS NOT A CONDITION FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF THE RELATIONS WITH FR YUGOSLAVIA
EU Commissioner Hans Van den Broeck stated in an interview
for the Pristina daily "Zeri" (published in Albanian) that
the normalization of the relations between the European Union
and FR Yugoslavia "...does not depend on the start of the
negotiations on Kosovo, nor on the settlement of the Kosovo
issue". Responding to a remark that one of the conclusions
adopted by the European Council at the sessions held last
year in Brussels and Luxembourg was the respect of human
rights in Kosovo, Mr. Van den Broeck said that this "will not
be made a condition for the recognition of FR Yugoslavia."
The high EU official specified that the normalization of he
relations between EU and FRY depends only on the mutual
recognition of Yugoslavia and FYRO Macedonia. (Vecernje
Novosti, February 3, 1996)
[05] BROAD COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE
Serbian Minister of Agriculture, Waters and Forestry - Mr.
Ivko Djonovic is currently visiting Hungary as guest of his
colleague Laszlo Lakosh. The Hungarian side will prepare a
draft agreement on veterinarian and botanical protection, and
the Serbian Government will formulate an agreement on the
protection of water resources and the maintenance of river
banks. These two documents are only part of the prospective
cooperation between the ministries, agricultural companies,
food processing plants , agro-institutes and agriculture in
general. (Politika, February 3, 1996)
[06] LACK OF FOOD FOR THE REFUGEES
The humanitarian aid for the refugees that the international
community sent to Yugoslavia during 1994, amounted to 64.000
tons, but in 1995 this dropped to 44.000 tons, in spite of
the well-known fact that last year 150.000 new refugees from
Krajina arrived in the country. This has been stressed as a
crucial problem at the meeting of the Serbian Red Cross
officials. At the meeting it has also been underscored that
the UNHCR persistently refuses to harmonize the number of
humanitarian aid recipients with the verified number of
refugees, which means that some 100.000 people are denied the
necessary aid. Some 50.000 persons from the Republic of
Srpska that have no special status but rely on Red Cross aid
should be added to this figure. Dr Rade Dubajic - Secretary
General of the Yugoslav Red Cross stressed that real problems
will begin in the spring, because starting in April, all
international humanitarian organizations will turn to Bosnia
and Herzegovina , where the distribution of aid between the
two entities is inequitable. (Vecernje Novosti, February 3,
1996)
[07] NATIONALISM INFILTRATED THE SOCIETY
At the electoral congress of the Serbian People's Party held
the in Zagreb, party president Milan Djukic, remarked that
"...nationalism in Croatia has penetrated into every pore of
the society". He also indicated that the "...Croatian regime
plans to impose a collective responsibility for the Serbs,
which are to blame for all evil experienced by the Croatian
people, without any regard for the consequences that this
will have for the Serbs in Croatia." Remarking that numerous
laws have been enacted in the spirit of racial
discrimination, Mr. Djukic said: "Numerous capillary
terrorism methods that have been used, masked the basic goal
of the extremist wing within the government - purging the
state of the most "unfit" ethnic community in Croatia - the
Serbs, in order to create the cleansed national state they
have been dreaming of for long. "The military operations in
Western Slavonija and in Krajina were not intended to protect
the Croats, but to expel the Serbs from these areas - said
Mr. Djukic, corroborating his assertion with the treatment of
the Serbian property sanctioned by the Croatian Government.
Krajina was not destroyed in military operations, for they
were none, but only after the Croatian Army took control of
the province. "By abandoning their land and homesteads, the
Serbian population avoided a genocide like the one in 1941,
but the destruction of the Serbian property and the massacres
of the Serbs that stayed are genocide as well." - said Mr.
Djukic. (Politika, February 5, 1996)
[08] THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE REJECTS CROATIA
At a party press conference held in Zagreb, Istrian
Democratic Congress (IDS) officials remarked that most
probably Croatia will be denied membership in the Council of
Europe once again in March. IDS President - Mr. Ivan Jakovcic
accused the Zagreb authorities of misinforming the public
about the Croatian membership in the Council. IDS leaders
concluded that Europe refused to admit Croatia into the
Council because of "lack of freedom in the media, destruction
of property and murders of Serbs in Krajina after the
"Operation Storm", and obstruction of the return of Serbs to
Croatia." (Politika, February 5, 1996)
[09] RETURNING HOME - TO FIND ASHES
Four months after they have fled from the towns of Mrkonjic
Grad and Sipovo, the local Serbs returned yesterday only to
find nothing but ashes. According to the Dayton Agreement
these two municipalities have been returned to the Republic
of Srpska as of February 4. Mr. Dragan Chelic - Mayor of
Mrkonjic Grad, who was the last to leave the town in October
1995, stated that all that could not be burned, was either
plundered or demolished - private homes, apartments, schools,
hospitals and factories. The municipal waterworks and power
network have also been destroyed. He said that the
infrastructure should be reconstructed first in order to
avoid epidemics once the population returns. "The entire sum
allocated by the international community for the
reconstruction of the Republic of Srpska would not be
sufficient to rebuild our town. Still I trust that the
international community will not disregard the problems
created by the occupation forces that my people will have to
solve." - said Mr. Chelic. (Borba, February 5, 1996)
[10] PROTESTS FOR THE ARREST OF SERBIAN OFFICERS
The Command of the Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) addressed a note
of protest to IFOR because Moslem forces arrested two VRS
officers Djordje Djukic and Aleksa Kremenovic and private
Radenko Todorovic. The incident took place in the free
movement zone controlled by IFOR, along the Lukavica-Ilidza
road. The Serbian officers were not armed, they had personal
documents with them, and were on their way to a meeting with
IFOR representatives. The VRS Supreme Command stressed that
this incident constitutes a drastic infringement of the
Dayton Agreement, and underscored that the Moslem troops
committed several other similar provocations - several other
VRS soldiers have been captured in the past several days are
now held prisoner in Moslem jails. (Borba, February 5, 1996)
[11] BLACKMAIL FROM SARAJEVO
British analysts remark that the Moslem Government in
Sarajevo is becoming a major obstacle for the realization of
the peace plan and of the policy of the international
community. These same London circles indicate that should the
Moslem Government continue to ignore its Dayton Agreement
commitments, threatening to initiate military cooperation
with Islamic terrorist movements and countries, it might soon
loose the present support. Listing all the commitments that
the Bosnian Moslems did not keep, The Times affirms that
America was the prime ally of the Moslem Government during
the civil war, but that the present atmosphere in Washington
is "frustrated". (Ekspres, February 4, 1996)
[12] THE NUMBER OF CONTROVERSIES AMONG ALLIES IS GROWING
Moslem Radio Sarajevo revealed that Croatian authorities in
western Mostar officially rejected the Moslem demand that
religious rites be performed in this part of town during the
great Moslem holiday - the Ramasan. The Croats also refused
to allocate a specific area for the Moslem religious rites,
since all mosques on the western bank have been destroyed.
The Croats did not permit that the rites be performed in the
ruins of the mosques, and are also preventing the Moslem
burial ceremonies. The same source remarks that strangely
enough none of the Catholic prelates reacted critically to
these events. According to Radio Sarajevo, the Croats have
started the construction of the Croatian Theater along the
demarcation line between the two ethnic communities in spite
of the strong protests of the Moslems that stress that this
will influence the fate of the town of Mostar. (Borba,
February 3-4, 1996)
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