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Serbia Today 96-02-21
21 February 1996
In This Edition
GREAT BRITAIN SOON TO RECOGNIZE YUGOSLAVIA
BELGRADE ENDORSES PEACE
THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL INITIATED THE "MARTIC CASE"
CONTENTS
[01] PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE BALKANS - CONDITIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
[02] GREAT BRITAIN SOON TO RECOGNIZE YUGOSLAVIA
[03] OPTIMISM ON BUSINESS COOPERATION
[04] BELGRADE ENDORSES PEACE
[05] PATRIARCH PAVLE: THE CHURCH ALWAYS CONDEMNED CRIMES
[06] MEETING IN PALE FOR THE ARREST OF BSA OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS
[07] THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL INITIATED THE "MARTIC CASE"
[01] PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE BALKANS - CONDITIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic met yesterday with
Nicholas Bonsor - State Minister at the British FO and
his assistants. During the meeting, the two sides
discussed the political situation in the region and the
future development of bilateral relations and
cooperation between FR Yugoslavia and Great Britain. The
importance of the efforts being made to ensure the
success of the peace process has been stressed, as well
as the conviction that the determined endorsement of
peace in the Balkans will allow a general prosperity in
the region. It has been jointly concluded that FR
Yugoslavia and Great Britain have a common interest not
only in renewing the intense contacts and ties
established in the past in business and other affairs,
but to broaden them as well. The two sides also agreed
that the normalization of relations between the two
countries will positively affect the overall process
concerning the revitalization and enhancement of all
forms of cooperation after the lifting of the sanctions.
(Politika, February 21, 1996)
[02] GREAT BRITAIN SOON TO RECOGNIZE YUGOSLAVIA
"In the course of next week Great Britain might
officially recognize the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,
depending on the regulation of the relations between FRY
and FYRO Macedonia, though it is expected that the
mutual recognition of these two states will occur soon."
This is part of the statement made by Mr. Nicholas
Bonsor - State Minister at the British FO, at a press
conference held after his meeting with President
Milosevic. Commenting the talks, Mr. Bonsor stressed
that the stimulation of trade relations is in the
interest of both countries. "Yugoslavia offers great
possibilities of cooperation with British companies" -
Mr. Bonsor said, adding that President Milosevic assured
him that FRY will implement the privatization process
although it obstructed by the current hyper-inflation,
and that Yugoslavia will have a free market economy.
(Politika, February 21, 1996)
[03] OPTIMISM ON BUSINESS COOPERATION
Great Britain was a significant Yugoslav trade partner,
and the trade volume in 1989 was 350-400 million
dollars." - said Mr. Mihailo Milojevic, Chairman of the
Yugoslav Chamber of Economy during the meeting with the
delegation of British businessmen visiting our country.
Mr. Milojevic informed the representatives of 15
reputable British firms about the possibilities of
cooperation, especially in the machine and electrical
production sector, as well in the textile, shoeware and
garment industry. "Along with classical trade, and the
establishment of joint companies, ample space for
effective business transactions is being created because
of the opening of Yugoslavia to foreign markets and
major liberalization of investments, imports and
exports." - said Mr. Milojevic. I bring a message of
optimism a that we will soon re-establish our
traditional political and economic ties - said Mr.
Nicholas Bonsor - State Minister at the British FO,
heading the British delegation. He also remarked that
the talks they had with federal and Serbian officials
were very constructive and stressed that the road to
privatization is a key element for the support of
international financial institutions. (Borba, February
21, 1996)
[04] BELGRADE ENDORSES PEACE
Italian Foreign Minister Susanna Agnelli stated in an
interview for "Medjunarodna Politika" that Italy
constantly endorsed the central role played by Belgrade
in the efforts to settle the crisis in Bosnia. "This is
why I have the pleasure to observe that the determined
contribution given by Belgrade to the peace solution,
especially when - last September - it assumed the
negotiating on behalf of the Bosnian Serbs." - said Ms.
Susanna Agnelli - Chairwoman of the European Union.
Commenting the relations between Italy and FR
Yugoslavia, the Italian Foreign Minister remarked that
they should be considered in the light of a gradual
pacification of the entire region, with a prospective
establishment of full relations between the two
countries based on the traditional ties that existed
before the crisis. (Borba, February 21, 1996)
[05] PATRIARCH PAVLE: THE CHURCH ALWAYS CONDEMNED CRIMES
Serbian Patriarch Pavle, met yesterday with the
participants of the European ecumenical meeting on
reconciliation, organized in Belgrade by the Theological
College of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The meeting has
been organized to discuss the role of the Christian
churches in the reconciliation of the nations in former
Yugoslavia. Thanking the participants for their
readiness to help the people that have been involved in
the Yugoslav civil war for the past five years, His
Holiness the Patriarch particularly stressed that
"...the Church of God always condemns crimes and
criminals, regardless of their nationality and faith."
On behalf of forty Christian theologysts, the Bishop of
the Lutheran Church in Sweden - H.E. Henry Sveningson,
conveyed the congratulations of the Conference of
European Churches to the Serbian Orthodox Church for the
role it played in stopping the war in former Yugoslavia.
(Politika, February 21, 1996)
[06] MEETING IN PALE FOR THE ARREST OF BSA OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS
General Zdravko Tolimir - Deputy Chief of Staff of the
Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) met in Pale with IFOR ground
troops Commander - British general Michael Walker, and
discussed the future implementation of the Dayton
Agreement. The Bosnian Serb side has been informed about
the modalities of IFOR support to the police forces of
the Moslem-Croatian Federation in assuming the control
of Serbian quarters in Sarajevo. Asked to comment the
statement made by NATO Secretary General - Xavier
Solana, namely that everything will be done to ensure
the arrest of general Ratko Mladic, general Tolimir
replied that he is not acquainted with such affirmations
and that if it has been made it is unsuited for the
current phase of the implementation of the Dayton
Agreement. General Tolimir also asked that equal
treatment be applied to the Republic of Srpska and the
Moslem-Croatian Federation, stressing that the
Mujahedins recently arrested near Fojnica, have been
turned over to the Moslem authorities in Sarajevo, even
though evidence exists that they were preparing
terrorist actions. On the other hand, IFOR extradited
the VRS general and colonel to the Hague Tribunal, and
is tolerating the imprisonment of Bosnian Serb Army
soldiers in Moslem jails. (Politika, February 21, 1996)
[07] THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL INITIATED THE "MARTIC CASE"
Next Tuesday, the International Tribunal for Crimes of
War committed in former Yugoslavia will open the "Martic
Case". According to the Tribunal spokesperson -
Christian Chartier, from Tuesday to Thursday the
Tribunal will hear witnesses concerning the accusation
that Milan Martic was involved in the bombing of Zagreb
at the beginning of May 1995. The tribunal Statutes
allow the witnesses to be heard in the absence of the
accused. Asked whether the Prosecutors Office is
investigating the crimes committed during the Croatian
"Operation Storm" in Krajina - the Tribunal Spokesman
briefly responded: "Yes". However, the procedure against
Milan Martic for the alleged bombing of Zagreb only
confirms the "impartiality" and cynicism of the
Tribunal, since not a single indictment has been made
after the mass ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Croatia, and
the biggest exodus of refugees in former Yugoslavia.
(Vecernje Novosti, February 21, 1996)
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