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Serbia Today 96-04-17
17 April 1996
In This Edition
EXERCISE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
COERCION FOR ECONOMIC AID
ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC
CONTENTS
[01] IMPORTANT ROLE OF YUGOSLAVIA IN THE SOLUTION OF CRISIS
[02] BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS BELGRADE
[03] BELGRADE - A FACTOR OF THE PEACE PROCESS
[04] EXERCISE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
[05] NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL
[06] COERCION FOR ECONOMIC AID
[07] ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC
[08] INDICTMENT AGAINST KRSMANOVIC EXTENDED
[09] GALBRIGHT AND REDMAN GAVE 'THE GREEN LIGHT' FOR ARMS SUPPLIES TO MUSLIMS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
[01] IMPORTANT ROLE OF YUGOSLAVIA IN THE SOLUTION OF CRISIS
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is having an irreplaceable role
in the solution of crisis in our region, and its peacemaking
policy has achieved recognition of the international community,
stated in his interview for the Warsaw daily "Zechpospolita" the
Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic. "From the moment of
suspension of the sanction, the process began of our
reintegration in the international community", said Kontic and
underlined that in it both in the interest of Yugoslavia and of
the Balkans for this reintegration to be fast and without
obstacles, although "some exterior factors are trying to
slow-down and make more difficult this process, most of all
because of political reasons". It is necessary to have an
efficient and full reintegration of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia in the world structures, institutions and fora, so
that it may continue to be the factor of peace and stability in
the Balkans. "The target of the foreign policy of Belgrade is
the normalization of the relations with neighbors and with all
the states with which we were cooperating before", said Kontic.
The Prime Minister did not agree with the qualification of the
Polish reporters that the former Socialist Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia disintegrated and emphasized that it was the case of
classic secession of certain former Yugoslav republics. "The
world can not bring under the question mark the question of
continuity of the Yugoslav state, the country which is existing
today in the form of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia", said
Kontic and added that the FR of Yugoslavia is not denying to the
states created in the area of former Yugoslavia the economic
rights on the basis of succession. (Politika, April 17, 1996)
[02] BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS BELGRADE
The visit today of the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Eric
Derrick to Belgrade, is qualified in Brussels as a very
important step in further development of the relations between
the two countries. It was announced in the Belgian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs that Derrick will have talks with the Federal
Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Milutinovic and will be
received by the President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic and the
Federal Prime Minister Radoje Kontic. An important economic
delegation of the Belgian businessmen and bankers was already on
a visit to our country last month. Belgium is an important
country within the European Union and in this respect the
renewal of the relations may be significant for both countries.
It is expected that there will be full normalization of the
relations between Belgium and the FR of Yugoslavia. (Borba,
April 17, 1996)
[03] BELGRADE - A FACTOR OF THE PEACE PROCESS
The revival of the diplomatic relations with the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia at the highest level, which has already
been decided upon by a number of countries, "is the consequence
of the awareness that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is the
key state in the Balkans and that it is not possible to settle
the situation in this region without taking into the account the
stand of Belgrade", states Radio Voice of Russia. Pointing out
at Belgrade, as the key factor of the peace process, this radio
station recalls that "Serbia and Montenegro in all the phases of
the Yugoslav drama were showing maximum constraint". The
official French news agency AFP indicates at the readiness of
the European Union "to strengthen the international position of
the SR of Yugoslavia by recognizing it as the state", and
specifies that many countries, among them France and Russia, are
of the view that on the political level "Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia should enjoy the status of the state continuing the
SFR of Yugoslavia". (Borba, April 17, 1996)
[04] EXERCISE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
On the occasion of the report by the special UN rapporteur
Elizabeth Ren on the state of facts of human and minority rights
in former Yugoslavia, Federal Government has issued a communique
in which it is underlined that from the special rapporteur it is
expected to base her activities on the verified facts. One of
the reasons for the reaction by the Federal Government is the
part of the report by Elizabeth Ren on the exercise of rights in
Kosovo and Metohija. The fact is that 98 percent of Albanians
are holding in their hands all the trade in Kosovo. In order to
do that they would have to obtain permission from the
authorities of the Republic of Serbia, therefore, from the state
which their political organizations and leaders do not
recognize. The fact is also that members of the Albanian
minority are the largest beneficiaries of the pension
(retirement) fund of the Republic, of the allowance for
children, which the Albanians are not giving up, although this
money comes from "the regime of Serbia". Albanians are neither
renouncing on the services in the field of health care. In
hospitals in Kosovo 95 percent of the patients are Albanians who
are having gratis medical treatment just as all the other
citizens. Regarding the remarks that by the relocation of
refugees in Kosovo, the demographic structure will be changed,
the facts are showing the following: according to the latest
census there is more than one million Albanians living in
Kosovo, and from the 50 thousand children born each year in
Kosmet 99 percent are Albanians. In Kosmet there are only 12,000
refugees. Albanians are also saying that they are deprived of
information in their mother tongue, but the facts are speaking
of the contrary: in Kosovo there are 25 newspapers and magazines
in Albanian, one in Serbian, Turkish and Romany language each.
Another fact that should be mentioned is that during the last
two years alone 11 mosques have been constructed, with the
permission of the authorities of Serbia. There are certainly
many more examples that can be mentioned of the exercise of
rights by Albanians, and this in the state which they do not
recognize. But our country is ready for cooperation with all the
international institutions and for talks on the solution of the
existing problems, but only with full respect of facts and
arguments. (Politika, April 17, 1996)
[05] NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL
The international community should make efforts to establish a
permanent international criminal tribunal for the war crimes.
This is the stand of the International Association of Democratic
Lawyers, stated at the Congress of this association in Capetown.
In the resolution adopted by some 200 legal experts, at the
proposal of the Yugoslav lawyers, professors at the Faculty of
Law of Belgrade Budimir Kosutic and Zoran Stojanovic, it is
stated that it should not be renounce on the establishment of
such a tribunal, in spite of the fact that so far the main
obstacle for its establishment was the lack of good will and the
resistance of the great powers, especially of the United States.
According to Budimir Kosutic, our lawyers have pointed out that
the ad hoc Tribunal for the War Crimes Committed in Former
Yugoslavia is not a step forward in the creation of the
permanent international criminal tribunal, but on the contrary,
it is threatening to discredit the justified idea on an
international system of criminal jurisdiction. They have also
pointed out at the shortcomings in the Statue of the Hague
Tribunal, and at the fact that this Tribunal has taken over the
legislative function to determine alone and by itself the rules
of procedure and evidence and give itself the right to change
once adopted rules even five times over a short period of time.
Our legal experts have also been the initiators of another
resolution adopted at the Congress, which pertains to the
sanctions, i.e. the embargo as the form of violation of the
international humanitarian law. They have submitted the fact
that in the UN resolutions on the introduction of sanctions
against our country it is stated that sanctions do not pertain
to medicaments and medical equipment, while in fact there were
sanctions on health care. Yugoslav lawyers have also strived for
the view that all such forms of the embargo, regardless of the
fact whether they are expressly prescribed or concealed, be
designated as the crime against humanity. (Politika, April 17,
1996)
[06] COERCION FOR ECONOMIC AID
President of the Republic of Srpska Assembly Momcilo Krajisnik
stated that the international community has done its utmost to
disqualify the Serbian side and practically make impossible its
participation at the Donors Conference for Reconstruction of
Bosnia in Brussels. He explained that the Serbian side, it is
true, has been granted the right to attend the Conference, but
with the ultimatum to appear as the part of the joint delegation
headed by the Prime Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina. "We have
drawn the attention of Carl Bildt to the fact that this would be
a violation of the Dayton Agreement, according to which until
the elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, there is no joint
government. Unfortunately, this was not accepted and we were
even accused of not wishing to take part at this Conference",
said Krajisnik. Serbs have pointed out that the insistence on
the economic integration according to the Brussels model is the
violation of the Dayton Agreement stipulations and that the
economic aid contains elements of coercion. Through the economic
assistance, the West wishes to achieve certain political
targets, most of all the withdrawal of President Karadzic and
General Mladic from the political scene, said Krajisnik.
(Vecernje novosti, April 17, 1996)
[07] ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC
Prosecutor of the International Turbinal in the Hague Richard
Goldstone received criminal charges against Alija Izetbegovic
submitted by the Association of Cultural and Public
Personalities "The Fund of Truth About Serbs" and of the
Serbian-German commission for dignity of justice and the respect
of international humanitarian law. Izetbegovic is accused for
genocide, serious violations of the Geneva Convention and
violation of the laws and customs of war. The charges underline
that it is an accusation against Izetbegovic for having ordered
bombardment of Markale on February 5, 1994 and on August 28,
1995 (when 69 persons were killed and 200 persons wounded), and
on covering up of the perpetrators. The accusation has enclosed
detailed evidence and testimonies of witnesses. Among them, Lord
David Owen is proposed as a witness, who is writing about this
tragic event in his book "The Balkan Odyssey", then Josef
Bogdanski, M.A. director of the Institute for Terrorism of the
United States with his book "The Offensives in the Balkans'. The
third witness is Charles Boyd, the U.S. general who had a post
of the Deputy NATO forces Commandeer in Europe and who has
already publicly spoken of the massacre in Markale. Among the
witnesses is also Andrey Demurenko, colonel in the Russian
Federation Army and chief of the UNPROFOR headquarters for
Sector Sarajevo, who stated for the Itar-TASS that he has the
proof that Serbs are not guilty for the massacre and have been
faultily accused as aggressors. (Politika ekspres, April 17,
1996)
[08] INDICTMENT AGAINST KRSMANOVIC EXTENDED
The Higher Public Prosecution of Sarajevo extended the
investigation against Colonel Aleksa Krsmanovic because of the
suspicion that he had order shooting of 44 persons from the
village of Novoseoce near Sokolac, writes Sarajevo newspaper
"Vecernje novine". Colonel Krsmanovic has the period of
detention which expires in early May and if the statements on
the ground of new accusations can not be verified, his detention
may be extended for another period of two months. Krsmanovic is
now detained in the Central Penitentiary of Sarajevo, where he
was transferred in early April after being acquitted by the
International Tribunal in the Hague from the accusations of war
crimes. (Politika, April 17, 1996)
[09] GALBRIGHT AND REDMAN GAVE 'THE GREEN LIGHT' FOR ARMS SUPPLIES TO MUSLIMS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
The present U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Peter Gallbright and the
then- U.S. peace envoy for the Balkans Charles Redman, gave 'the
green light' for the clandestine deliveries of Iranian arms to
Muslims in Bosnia during the years 1994 and 1995. According to
the claims today by "The Washington Post", they have given a
silent agreement to have through Croatia clandestine deliveries
of the Iranian armament. The first one to disclose this affair
some ten days ago was "The Los Angeles Times". But there was
nothing new there, because these deliveries were very well known
even before, with the exception of one fact - that this
operation was personally approved by President Clinton. He has
done this at the time while the UN Security Council embargo was
in force on the sales of arms to the warring sides in Bosnia.
(Politika, April 17, 1996)
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