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Serbia Today 96-08-16Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia Today16 August 1996CONTENTS
[01] POSITIVE VIEWS ON THE GENEVA MEETINGWorld media are having positive views of the results of the Geneva meeting between President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic, Croat President Franjo Tudjman and leader of the Bosnian Muslims Alija Izetbegovic, hosted by the U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher. Media are especially underlining the determination of all the participants of the gathering to fully respect the provisions of the Dayton Agreement. German media are dominated by the disbelief in the successful reconciliation between Croats and Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina, regardless of the agreement of the Croat President to abolish Herzeg-Bosnia. In Athens it is stated with satisfaction that the meeting took place in the sign of a constructive dialogue and that optimism was expressed in Geneva regarding the provision of normal conditions for holding of the elections. British media are especially emphasizing the determination, manifested in Geneva, for the elections to take place. This is even more important because, according to the analysis of London, the fact has now become public that many in the international community and even in Bosnia itself, are wishing for the elections to be postponed. The official Paris is expressing satisfaction with the results of the Geneva meeting, pointing out that the September elections "do not have a valid alternative". Optimism is also raised by the significant progress reached in the settlement of the mutual relations between the three neighboring Balkan countries. There is a firm belief in the true normalization of the Serbo-Croat relations, but there is a very careful and restrained evaluation of the Muslim-Croat agreement on the creation of the dual federation which, according to the Paris press, is rather a product of the American pressure than of the strategic will of Zagreb and Sarajevo. (TANJUG, August 16, 1996)[02] FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE FUTURE COOPERATION WITH THE IMFFederal Government at its yesterday's session, accepted the report on activities on normalization of the relations with the International Monetary Fund and the other international financial organizations, drafted the decree on membership of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in these organizations and decided to submit this report to the Federal Parliament for debate. Government gave a positive view of the activities so far on the normalization of the relations with the international financial organizations and a fuller integration of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into the world financial community, which is of special importance for a faster recovery and further development of the Yugoslav economy. (Politika ekspres, August 16, 1996)[03] ALBANIAN DELEGATION IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTSecretary of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications, Zoran Krajicic, together with the Yugoslav experts, received yesterday the delegation of the Ministry of Industry, Transport and Trade of Albania, headed by the Secretary of State Arben Babameto. During the talks, mutual interests were discussed and specified for the renewal and promotion of the cooperation in the road, air and railway transport. Interest of both sides was expressed for putting into operation as soon as possible of the railway line Podgorica-Bozaj-Scutary, as the shortest and according to the European standards, the most efficient and most perspective traffic line. In order to accelerate to the maximum this Yugoslav-Albanian cooperation in this field, draft forms were exchanged of the agreement and memorandum on the intergovernmental relations in the field of transport, which will be discussed by the experts of the two countries in September. (Politika, August 16, 1996)[04] UN DEMAND FOR CROATIA TO PROCLAIM AMNESTY OF ALL SERBSThe UN Security Council adopted yesterday the presidential communique in which it is demanded of Zagreb to proclaim a general amnesty for all Serbs in Croatia. The communique which pertains to the situation in Eastern Slavonia, gives an entire 'package' of tasks to the Government in Zagreb. Most of these requests is in fact a reiteration of what the Security Council has already on two occasions, on May 22, 1996 and July 3, 1996 demanded of Zagreb: to pass urgently law on amnesty. The law would proclaim amnesty for all persons who either voluntarily or by force were serving in the administrative, military or police forces of the Serbian authorities in the territories under UN protection, if they did not committee war crimes. Security Council has stated with concern that the Croat laws in force and actions so far were not sufficient to establish confidence among the local Serbian population. It is underlined in the communique that it is necessary, together with the economic recovery, to establish a multi-ethnic character of the entire region, and for the refugees and displaced persons to return. The UN Secretary General whose report served as basis for this presidential communique, demanded for the mandate of the UNTA forces to be extended for another year, which is also requested by Serbs but is opposed by Croats. (Politika, August 16, 1996)[05] VOTING FOR 'LILIES' ONLYSwiss authorities have decided yesterday to allow all the Bosnian refugees to leave freely for Bosnia in order to vote there, without fear that they will be deprived of their refugee status. This decision covers some 20,000 Bosnian refugees, mostly Muslims. No one is even mentioning what are the chances and possibilities for the Serbian refugees who are also living in Switzerland to vote at the elections in Bosnia, because many of them are not enjoying the official status of refugees in this country. According to the data of the Coordination Board of Serbs from the Republic of Srpska, the right to vote and attend the elections have some 5,000 Serbian refugees. They are practically having no chances whatsoever of going for voting, because they do not have a passport of the Muslim-Croat Federation with which they could enter Bosnia. The old Yugoslav passport which the Serbs have in their possession, is not allowing them the departure to Bosnia. (Vecernje novosti, August 16, 1996)[06] AFTER ATHENS AND GENEVASupplement to the News BriefsAmong many diplomatic contacts which the President of Serbia continuously had over the past few years, practically from the beginning of crisis in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the recent meetings in Athens and Geneva are estimated as the turning points of the peace process in the Balkans. Meeting between Milosevic and Tudjman in the capital of Greece served for further improvement of the Serbo-Croat relations, which are the crucial factors of stability in this region. The third round of making inventory of the Dayton achievements in Geneva, among others, had the aim to salvage Muslim-Croat Federation in Bosnia. Together with the recent meeting in Belgrade with the Muslim representatives from Sarajevo, the negotiating cycle is completed which could, in fact, mark a completely new phase in the settlement of relations in former Yugoslavia and sanation of consequences of the tragic civil war. Although it is too early for passing final judgments on the reaches of these, mostly strictly confidential and from the public concealed agreements, it is rather obvious that both in Athens and in Geneva the key task was how to prevent "the main opponent of Dayton" - Croatia, from further insistence on the principles of its politics which is bringing under the question mark the entire project, and thus the stability in this part of Europe. Even in its relations towards Serbs, just like in the case of functioning of the Muslim-Croat Federation, Zagreb appears as a hardcore obstacle to what has already been agreed upon and signed. In this sense especially indicative was the meeting in Athens which will remain recorded as the event when practically all those questions were opened which are a burden on the establishment of the normal intergovernmental relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Croatia, and the obligations undertaken for their solution with mutual consent. Although on the basis of sparse communiques it is hard to penetrate into the essence of the new diplomatic moves in the relations between the two countries, sources of the "Politika" newspaper are assuring that the President of Croatia, in the form of an agreement containing 15 points, has agreed to two things which are crucial for the status and the position of Serbs - to pass the law on general amnesty as a guarantee to Serbs that they will not be harassed or under the repression of the state, and secondly, that the return will be secured for all refugees to their homes. Together with an understandable distance towards the consistency and the respect for what is agreed upon by President Tudjman, those well acquainted with the Serbo-Croat relations are interpreting such an epilogue as the consequence of the so far unrecorded pressures on Croatia and an excellent timing for convening of this gathering. Namely, although for the major part of the period since the eruption of conflicts, Croatia was a pet of the most influential world media, over the last weeks in the reports of various international organizations and mediators there was a special indication at the chauvinist model in the solution of the Serbian question in Croatia. The appeal of "The New York Times" that the arrogant President Tudjman should be given the response in the same degree, suggested that the space is narrowing for further insistence on "Croatia without Serbs". Under such circumstances the meeting in Athens was offered to Tudjman as an elegant way for him to escape from the position of the culprit, but to undertake in return the obligation for significantly different treatment of citizens of Serbian nationality. Thus the evaluations of this meeting among all the three sides, and among the observers, are accompanied with words not customary for the earlier Serbo-Croat relations. Practically, this means that everyone is happy. Greece as the organizer of the meeting because it obtained the role of a constructive and serious mediator in the Balkans, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia because it succeeded in confirming its peaceful policy and in gaining the concessions from Croatia, and finally, also Croatia because it alleviated the odium against itself, especially in the European public, and actually accepted to do what it has already undertaken to do by signing of the Dayton Agreement. Regulation of the Muslim-Croat relations after threatening discrepancies in Mostar, is being concealed under the surface of the meeting between the three presidents from former Yugoslavia, with the U.S. Secretary of State Christopher in Geneva. The unsuccessful ultimatum to the Croat side on the eve of the Geneva meeting, has shown how much previous concessions to Croats, and especially in the case of Herzeg-Bosnia, are now appearing as aggravating circumstances. In the basis of all problems is the salvation of the Muslim-Croat Federation which, it is true, besides Croatia is also being undermined by the leadership in Sarajevo through its suborn insistence on its own legitimacy. This is indirectly providing an alibi for the survival of Herzeg-Bosnia and is aggravating the situation prior to the elections. For the analysts of relations in former Yugoslavia, even after Geneva and Athens, it is interesting that the international community is now being faced with a stubborn policy just of the state which through their strategy was designed to be the new regional force in the Balkans. From the readiness of the international community "to tame" such type of bullheadedness will depend the speed with which Balkan tensions will be calmed. (Politika, August 16, 1996) Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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