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Serbia Today 96-03-04
4 March 1996
In This Edition
THE THIRD CONGRESS OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF SERBIA HAS BEEN CONCLUDED
THE ECONOMIST ANTICIPATES THE FAILURE OF THE BOSNIAN FEDERATION
ADMINISTRATIVE HELL FOR THE REPATRIATES
CONTENTS
[01] THE THIRD CONGRESS OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF SERBIA HAS BEEN CONCLUDED
[02] PROMOTING A HUMANE AND JUST SOCIETY
[03] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S POLICY CONFIRMED
[04] TAKING PART IN THE INTEGRATION PROCESSES
[05] IMMINENT NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN FRY AND AUSTRIA
[06] KEY ROLE OF YUGOSLAVIA IN THE PEACE PROCESS
[07] THE GREATEST AID CAME FROM FRY
[08] THE ECONOMIST ANTICIPATES THE FAILURE OF THE BOSNIAN FEDERATION
[09] THE CROATS DESTROYED ALL MOSQUES IN STOLAC
[10] BOSNIAN MOSLEMS ARE BEING TRAINED IN IRAN
[11] ADMINISTRATIVE HELL FOR THE REPATRIATES
[01] THE THIRD CONGRESS OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF SERBIA HAS BEEN CONCLUDED
The third congress of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) has
been concluded on Saturday with the election of Mr. Slobodan
Milosevic for party president. The biggest meeting of the
Serbian Socialists was marked by the adoption of the project
"Serbia in the Year 2000 - a Step into the New Century". The
party leadership has also been elected by the congress deputies,
and at the constituent session of the party Head Board - Ms
Gorica Gajevic has been elected Secretary General. At the end of
the final congress session, the delegates have been addressed by
Mr. Slobodan Milosevic. Stressing that Serbia faced great
hardships in the past few years, he remarked: "Serbia provided
material and moral support to all Serbs in distress - those that
that fought where the war raged, those that lived in peace but
were unemployed, those that found refuge here in our country
which was itself blocked by the sanctions, which were actually
imposed for helping materially the Serbs outside Serbia. Such
solidarity and sacrifice of the entire Serbian nation must be
always remembered." A new period lies ahead of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia - said Mr. Milosevic - adding
that a new age has dawned. "Serbia should now be involved in its
own development. Its economic development above all. Obviously,
the national economy has been depleted. Still in these past and
difficult years, our country withstood the challenges. As well
as a nation can if faced with such difficulties. This justifies
the expectations that Serbia will quickly revitalize its
economy. In order to proceed with these improvements, our
country will have to use all existing and contemporary
technological achievements and to try to involve as many
individuals - experts, workers, farmers, intellectuals and young
ones - in the implementation of these experiences." - said
President Milosevic in his closing speech at the 3rd Congress of
the Socialist Party of Serbia. (Politika, March 3, 1996)
[02] PROMOTING A HUMANE AND JUST SOCIETY
President Slobodan Milosevic met yesterday with the delegations
of foreign parties and movements that were present at the 3rd
Congress of the Socialist Party of Serbia. Mr. Milosevic
expressed satisfaction for the successful cooperation between
SPS and numerous left parties from all over the world, stressing
the great importance they have in the struggle for a just and
humane society, peace among states and nations, and a free,
prosperous and dignified life of all men. The SPS congress
marked by the motto "A Step Into The New Century", will have a
major importance for the development of our country - said
President Milosevic underscoring that the "...step into the new
century will be a successful one in view of the global
integration in the interest of peace, progress, equality,
tolerance, cooperation and mutual understanding." (Politika,
March 4, 1996)
[03] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S POLICY CONFIRMED
The reports of the leading news agencies about the 3rd Congress
of the Socialist Party of Serbia indicate that the peacemaking
policy promoted by President Milosevic has been confirmed.
France Press remarks that the delegates stressed the historic
importance of the Dayton Agreement on Bosnia and the important
role played by Slobodan Milosevic. Reuters underscores that the
Serbian Socialists showed the determination to support peace in
the region and the economic policy after the conflicts in former
Yugoslavia. This British news agency particularly underscores
the evaluation of the national objectives in the coming century
given by Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic. "We want to
live in an open, free, humane and prosperous society." is Mr.
Marjanovic's statement quoted by Reuters. (Vecernje Novosti,
March 3, 1996)
[04] TAKING PART IN THE INTEGRATION PROCESSES
During a meeting between the delegation of the Ukrainian
Parliament - headed by Parliament Speaker Aleksandar
Aleksandrovich Moroz - and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic,
both sides stressed the friendly and close relations linking the
two nations and countries, as well as their mutual understanding
and respect, which represent a good basis fro continuous and
successful development of comprehensive bilateral relations and
cooperation. FR Yugoslavia and Ukraine have major common
interests, especially in economy, which is corroborated by the
numerous contacts and broad cooperation between companies. Both
countries endorse a closer regional collaboration and harmonic
involvement on the contemporary integration processes in Europe
and throughout the world. (Borba, March 2, 1996)
[05] IMMINENT NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN FRY AND AUSTRIA
"The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia play a constructive role in
the peace process in Bosnia, and this justifies an imminent
normalization of bilateral relations between FRY and Austria." -
said Mr. Albert Roan - Secretary General o the Austrian Foreign
Ministry. In a an interview published by the Vienna daily "Der
Standard", Mr. Roan stated that Austria must develop friendly
relations with all the Balkan states, including FR Yugoslavia.
After its biased approach to the Yugoslav crisis, the support of
secessionist republics and the satanization of the Serbs, it
seems that Austria - judging by the comments made by this high
official of the FO - is about to make a U-turn in its policy,
and is seeking a more balanced and objective approach to the
political events in the Balkans. (Politika, March 2, 1996)
[06] KEY ROLE OF YUGOSLAVIA IN THE PEACE PROCESS
In view of his official visit to FR Yugoslavia, Czech Prime
Minister Vatslav Claus stated that he greatly appreciates the
role played by our country in the peace process in Bosnia,
stressing that it will continue to play a key role in this
process. In an exclusive interview for TANJUG news agency, Mr.
Claus underscored that "...the Czech Republic endorses the
return of FRY in the international organizations and believes
that it should assume its rightful place in the international
community." "I am convinced that my trip to Belgrade will lead
to more intense political contacts and the improvement of
information exchange." - said Mr. Claus - a politician renowned
for his objective and impartial position concerning the crisis
in former Yugoslavia - one that was frequently in contrast with
the general attitude in the world. (Borba, March 2/3, 1996)
[07] THE GREATEST AID CAME FROM FRY
Dr. Nikola Koljevic - Vice President of the Republic of Srpska
stated in an interview for Radio Kragujevac that the suspension
of the sanctions against the Republic of Srpska - secured at the
meeting in Rome by President Milosevic, represents "... the
salvation for the people of the Republic of Srpska." Dr.
Koljevic also remarked that every economic action will alleviate
the situation far more than the efforts of the humanitarian
organizations, and added that most of the aid is arriving from
FR Yugoslavia. According to Dr. Koljevic, from the political
point of view, the suspension of sanctions confirms that there
can be no more war in former Yugoslavia - especially in Bosnia
and Herzegovina. (Politika Ekspres, March 4, 1996)
[08] THE ECONOMIST ANTICIPATES THE FAILURE OF THE BOSNIAN FEDERATION
In spite of the Dayton Agreement, the future of Bosnia and
Herzegovina lies in a division of the country into three ethnic
entities - affirms the London weekly The Economist, adding that
the process promoting the separation of the Moslem and Croatian
"state" territory has been initiated quite some time ago. As a
UN official stated in Zagreb, the Moslem-Croatian Federation is
"pure fiction" and that it exists "only in the concepts of the
international community". The most visible example of the
divisions between the Moslems and Croats in Bosnia is the fate
of the town of Mostar. In spite of all international pressures,
the "Mostar syndrome" is now spreading to other cities in Bosnia
where Moslems and Croats live together - states The Economist,
quoting the latest events in Tuzla. In fact, the leaders of the
Croatian community in Tuzla launched an initiative to create
separate ethnic entities in the town, so that the Croats may
have their own "independent" part of town - which is becoming a
Bosnian reality, says The Economist. (Ekspres, March 4, 1996)
[09] THE CROATS DESTROYED ALL MOSQUES IN STOLAC
Moslem Radio Sarajevo reports that in the small town of Stolac
in south- western Herzegovina - now controlled by the Croats,
the last of 10 mosques has been demolished and that the pre-war
Moslem community of 8.000 people has been reduced to only 16
individuals, mostly old persons. According to the same source,
Croatian occupation authorities ordered the burning of the
remaining Moslem homes so that no one might return. The Croats
also chased out all Serbs from Stolac. According to the Dayton
Agreement 200 Moslem families were to return to Stolac, but not
a single one has returned yet. (Politika, March 2, 1996)
[10] BOSNIAN MOSLEMS ARE BEING TRAINED IN IRAN
The Bosnian Moslem Government has sent its soldiers to Iran for
training - reveals The New York Times quoting the statements of
two Moslem officials and the representatives of unspecified
European countries who wished to remain anonymous. The Bosnian
officials refused to reveal the number of soldiers that are
being trained in Iran, and when were they sent there. A European
military officer stressed that the most alarming fact is that
the Bosnian Moslem troops might be indoctrinated with Islamist
ideology. (Politika, March 4, 1996)
[11] ADMINISTRATIVE HELL FOR THE REPATRIATES
Countless bureaucratic obstacles, used in Croatia to promote the
ethnic homogenization, can discourage even the most determined
among tens of thousands of Serb refugees, currently in exile in
Serbia, that might want to return to their homes in Croatia -
remarks France Press in its latest commentary. After being
literally swept away by the Croatian military offensives in
Western Slavonija and Krajina -in May and August last year -
more than 180.000 Serbs were involved in an exodus to Serbia and
Bosnia, remarks the same news agency. France Press also quotes
the statement made by Milorad Vojvodic - one of the leaders of
the Serbian Popular Party in Croatia - namely that the Croatian
Government introduced a number of bureaucratic obstacles to s
the return of the Serbs. For example one of the conditions for
the return is that the whole family be grouped, and that
Croatian citizenship be previously obtained - which cost 270 US
dollars and represents a sum that far too many can not afford.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees revealed that about 30.000
Serbs indicated that would like to return, but that only 2500
applications have been approved. "When they are not victims of
violence, Serbs in Croatia are victims of discrimination." - a
non specified official of the UN Human Rights Committee in
Zagreb told the same news agency. (Politika, March 4, 1996)
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