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Serbia Today 96-03-22
22 March 1996
In This Edition
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE RECEIVES THE YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR
A HOME OF ANOTHER IS NOW ONE'S OWN HOME
CROATS SYSTEMATICALLY BURNING MUSLIM HOUSES DOWN
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT OF FRANCE RECEIVES YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR
[02] FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE RELATIONS WITH ROMANIA, CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA
[03] HIGH MARKS TO INFORMATION IN THE HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE
[04] IBM AGAIN ON OUR MARKET
[05] CHANGES NECESSARY IN THE ERDUT AGREEMENT
[06] ANOTHER PERSON'S HOME LIKE ONE'S OWN
[07] REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA ARMY ENTERS MRKONJIC GRAD AREA
[08] CROATS ARE SYSTEMATICALLY BURNING MUSLIM HOUSES DOWN
[09] CHAOTIC TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY IN SARAJEVO
[01] PRESIDENT OF FRANCE RECEIVES YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR
President of the Republic of France Jacques Chirac received the
extraordinary and plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia Bogdan Trifunovic who handed over his
accreditations. In a cordial talk, President Chirac expressed
his satisfaction in elevation of the relations between the two
countries to the highest diplomatic level which shall
contribute, as he said, to the achievement of a comprehensive
economic, political, cultural and other cooperation.
Possibilities were discussed on the revival and implementation
of a number of concrete and very important projects of
industrial cooperation and construction of industrial objects.
President Chirac pointed out at the important encounter and
talks with the President of Serbia in the interest of
implementation of the peace process most of all in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, and also for enriching bilateral cooperation
in general. France, which has not suspended its diplomatic
relations with Yugoslavia, is the first country of the West to
elevate its relations with Belgrade to the highest diplomatic
level. In the seat of French diplomacy it is said that the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is making extraordinary efforts
in the peace process and that it is a primary partner for the
achievement of stability in the Balkans. (Politika, March 22,
1996)
[02] FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE RELATIONS WITH ROMANIA, CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA
Federal Government at its yesterday's session established the
proposal of the law for ratifying the agreement between the
governments of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Romania on
mutual instigation and protection of investments. The agreement
is providing a legal framework for the promotion of economic
relations between the two countries and full protection of
investments, on the basis of the "most favored nation" clause.
While adopting the reports on the talks between the Prime
Minister Radoje Kontic and the Prime Ministers of the Slovak
Republic Vladimir Mechiar and of the Czech Republic Vaclaw
Klaus, who were on official visits to the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, it was stated that the visits have confirmed the
priority importance which Slovakia and the Czech Republic are
giving to the promotion of the relations and cooperation with
the FR of Yugoslavia in all the fields. (Borba, March 22, 1996)
[03] HIGH MARKS TO INFORMATION IN THE HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE
During the talks with the press attache of the Embassy of the
Republic of Hungary in our country, Joseph Pandur, the
provincial Secretary of Information Ljubomir Lukic said that in
the abundant network of newspaper, radio and television programs
in Vojvodina in the languages of national minorities, the
largest part is in the Hungarian language. The Assembly of the
Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, as the founder of the
newspaper houses and of one number of information media which it
is financing, has the obligation to preserve them and make
possible their further development, said Lukic. Government of
the Republic of Hungary is highly appreciating the fact that in
Vojvodina, with the assistance by the state, such a large number
of media in Hungarian language was preserved, which are having
an important role in the preservation of the identity of this
national minority, said Joseph Pandur. (Politika, March 22,
1996)
[04] IBM AGAIN ON OUR MARKET
Delegation of the high IBM officials, one of the largest U.S.
manufacturers of computers and computer technology, headed by
the IBM Executive Director for Central Europe and Russia, Mr.
Horst Britenstein, has visited Belgrade at the invitation of the
SBS and the BK systems. The outstanding importance of this visit
is also illustrated by the fact that after the suspension of
sanctions on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and signing of
the Dayton Agreement, IBM is the first American company of the
highest world fame to return to Yugoslavia. Representatives of
the IBM and BK systems had talks about business cooperation and
have signed "Letter of Intent" which is defining joint
interests, partnership, cooperation and venture on the Yugoslav
and markets of the third countries. (Politika, March 22, 19096)
[05] CHANGES NECESSARY IN THE ERDUT AGREEMENT
The U.S. Ambassador at the UN, Madelain Albright, accompanied by
the U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbright and the UN
Administrator for the Srem and Baranja Region, the U.S. General
Jacques Klein, visited Erdut and stated the following on that
occasion: "The stand of the UN and of the United States is that
it is necessary to make changes in the Erdut Agreement. This
area should be a multi-ethnic one and we will do everything for
the people here to live in dignity and in safety". After his
meeting with Madelain Albright, the chief of the Serbian
negotiating team Milan Milanovic underlined that the Serbian
side is ready to cooperate and respect Erdut Agreement. Madelain
Albright also had meetings in Borovo Naselje with
representatives of the exiled Serbs from the Republic of Serbia
Krajina who, after the meeting, stated their dissatisfaction
because Mrs. Albright did not offer them guarantees for the
return to their homes and for a safe life. (Politika, March 22,
1996)
[06] ANOTHER PERSON'S HOME LIKE ONE'S OWN
Zagreb newspapers are reporting on the talks between
parliamentary deputies of the Croat Democratic Community and the
Croat refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina, accommodated now in the
houses of the Serbian refugees from Kostajnica and Dubica. When
asked by Croat refugees whether they will have to move again and
to abandon their homes and farms which have been given to them
for temporary use, representative of the Croat Democratic
Community (HDZ) Martin Katicic answered that "there will be no
other relocations whatsoever", and that the houses that they
have obtained for temporary use they "may consider their homes".
Judging from all this, either the exiled Serbs from this area
will never be allowed the return to Croatia, or those who are
allowed to return will simply never receive back their property.
All this is directly opposed to the existing law by which the
Croat Parliament (Sabor) is allegedly guaranteeing to the
Serbian refugees ownership over their property. This is also
opposed to the Dayton Agreement and the latest obligations which
in this respect Croatia has undertaken in front of the
international community during the latest meeting in Geneva.
(Politika, March 22, 1996)
[07] REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA ARMY ENTERS MRKONJIC GRAD AREA
By raising the flag of the Republic of Srpska in the barracks at
Kula, several kilometers from Mrkonjic Grad, yesterday the
entrance of the units of the Republic of Srpska Army was marked
in this area which according to the Dayton Agreement, has been
returned to the composition of the Republic of Srpska. The
entrance of the Republic of Srpska Army was made in the presence
and control of the IFOR. The unit commander of the Republic of
Srpska Army Slavko Culic stated the following: "We know our
obligations and certainly shall not disturb peace". He added
that he is in general satisfied with the implementation of the
military part of the peace agreement, but "IFOR is not treating
equally all the sides. This mostly pertains to the prisoners of
war, members of the Republic of Srpska Army, who are still
detained in the Muslim and Croat prisons". (Politika ekspres,
March 22, 1996)
[08] CROATS ARE SYSTEMATICALLY BURNING MUSLIM HOUSES DOWN
In the area of Jajce, Croats have started systematically to burn
down the remaining houses so that the exiled Muslims could not
return there, reported yesterday the Muslim Radio Sarajevo. The
hardest strike of the Croat extremists was experienced by the
villages in the vicinity of this town in which before the war
mostly Muslims were living. According to the agreement between
Izetbegovic and Tudjman, some 200 Muslim refugee families should
have returned to Jajce in the first phase. Croat authorities,
however, have allowed the return of only 30 Muslims from the
17,000 that were living there before the war. (Vecernje novosti,
March 22, 1996)
[09] CHAOTIC TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY IN SARAJEVO
The spokesman of the UN office in Belgrade Susan Manuel stated
yesterday that the idea of a multiethnic Sarajevo was grossly
betrayed, because "the forces which have taken part in this did
not show either the will or capability of devoting themselves to
that aim. After ninety days from signing of the Dayton
Agreement, a complete "transfer of power" was effected, said
Manuel, but in Sarajevo, "it was, unfortunately, completely
chaotic". A large number of Serbian population has left
Sarajevo, said Manuel, and "this tragic development of events"
has casted a shadow on peace which should be established. She
also said that in Grbavica only some one thousand Serbs has
remained. (Borba, March 22, 1996)
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