Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-08-10

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Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAV PREMIER CONGRATULATES NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM

[02] NATO MIGHT FACES HAGUE TRIBUNAL CHARGES FOR USE OF RADIOLOGICAL AMMUNITI ON IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

[03] SERBIAN INTERIOR MINISTER RECEIVES ICRC OFFICIAL

[04] SERBIAN JUSTICE MINISTER RECEIVES ICRC DELEGATION

[05] SERBIAN POLICE CRUSH TERRORISTS IN OVCAREVO

[06] YUGOSLAV ARMY PREVENTS ILLEGAL ENTRY OF TERRORISTS

[07] FRENCH MEDIA REACT TO FALSE REPORTS ON KOSMET DEVELOPMENTS

[08] YUGOSLAV EMBASSY CAUTIONS GERMAN PUBLISHER OVER MASS GRAVES LIE

[09] YUGOSLAV EMBASSY LODGES PROTEST WITH WASHINGTON TIMES

[10] TWO ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE DAILIES REFUSE TO PRINT SERBIAN POLICE APPEAL

[11] ABOUT 10,000 ETHNIC ALBANIANS RETURN TO GLOGOVAC

[12] SERBIA SUCCESSFULLY PRESENTED IN GREECE

[13] YUGOSLAV SAINOVIC, BRITISH DONNELLY MEET OVER "CONTACT GROUP" PAPER

[14] SLOVAKIAN OFFICIAL SAYS SLOVAKIA CONDEMNS TERRORISM, VIOLENCE

[15] RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS SERBIAN OFFICIALS

[16] AFANASYEVSKI: ONLY A PEACEFUL, POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR KOSMET

[17] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES CHINESE DELEGATION

[18] WASHINGTON SAYS THERE IS NO PROOF OF MASS GRAVES IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA

[19] YUGOSLAV VICE PREMIER RECEIVES CHINESE NATIONAL CONGRESS DELEGATION

[20] CHINESE-YUGOSLAV RELATIONS IMPROVING IN ALL AREAS

[21] BRITISH AMBASSADOR HOLDS TALKS WITH ETHNIC ALBANIAN LEADER

[22] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC CONGRATULATES BASKETBALL TEAM

[23] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONGRATULATES BASKETBALL TEAM

[24] WASHINGTON TIMES PRINTS YUGOSLAV MISSION'S PROTEST LETTER

[01] YUGOSLAV PREMIER CONGRATULATES NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM

Tanjug, 1998-08-09

Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic addressed on Sunday evening a me ssage of congratulations to the Yugoslav national basketball team on wini ng the World Championship in Athens. The team's personal and collective a bility and endeavors have placed Yugoslavia at the very summit of world b asketball, the message says.

Bulatovic wished the players future success and happiness.

[02] NATO MIGHT FACES HAGUE TRIBUNAL CHARGES FOR USE OF RADIOLOGICAL AMMUNITI ON IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

The Yugoslavia-based Association of Serbs from Bosnia-Herzegovina will f ile charges with the Hague International Tribunal against those who order ed and executed bombing using radiological ammunition of the territory of Republika Srpska in 1995, which is a violation of international humanita rian laws and conventions which ban the use of biological warfare, associ ation President Bogdan Jamedzija said.

Dr. Jamedzija told a press conference that all available scientific and medical documents had been prepared and that they would be sent, together with the charges, to the Tribunal which deals with crimes committed in t he former Yugoslavia since 1991.

"In the second half of September 1995, NATO planes used special ammuniti on whose cores contained U-238 in the bombing of military, but also civil ian targets, which resulted in high radioactivity in the territory of Rep ublika Srpska, and consequently the occurrence of a series of grave disea ses in humans, and also contaminated the environment," Dr. Jamedzija said 2E

Medical experts recorded a higher incidence of miscarriages, fetal death s, premature births, and still-born children among the population of Mili c, Vlasenica, Han Pijesak, Sokoc, Pale, Vogosca, Rogatica, and other plac es throughout Republika Srpska. Experts also recorded more frequent death s of cattle in these areas, he said.

Moreover, herbs picked on Mt. Romanija showed a radioactivity of 1,100 b ecquerels per kilo, while the maximum permitted level is 600 Bq/kg.

Dr. Jamedzija said the association's team of experts had data that the e ntire Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina showed a 400 percent increase in c ervical cancer following 1995.

The responsibility of the principals and executors of crimes against the civilian population of Bosnia-Herzegovina is based on articles 86 and 87 of the Protocol of the first Geneva conventions, and article 91 establis hes responsibility for caused damages. The Association therefore maintain s that NATO members, or the member-states whose troops had been the parti cipating parties, cannot be beyond the reach of justice.

[03] SERBIAN INTERIOR MINISTER RECEIVES ICRC OFFICIAL

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Serbian Interior Minister Vlajko Stojiljkovic on Friday received ICRC De legate-General for Europe Angello Gnaedinger. It was jointly noted in the talk that ICRC activities in Serbia were being constantly promoted, whic h was in the interest of both sides, along with establishing mutual trust despite minor problems mostly caused by administrative errors of ICRC re presentatives.

Gnaedinger thanked the minister for securing the full freedom of movemen t for ICRC representatives in the entire Serbian territory, especially in the Province of Kosovo-Metohija, and also for ensuring the ICRC an unham pered access in delivering humanitarian aid.

Stojiljkovic, for his part, said he expected the ICRC to step up its eff orts toward helping release persons abducted by ethnic Albanian terrorist s in Kosovo-Metohija, among whom were Serbs, Montenegrins, ethnic Albania ns, Gypsies and Serbian police officers. This was singled out as ICRC's p riority, said the statement.

[04] SERBIAN JUSTICE MINISTER RECEIVES ICRC DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Serbian Minister of Justice Dragoljub Jankovic received on Friday a dele gation of the ICRC comprising the head of its Mission for Europe, North A merica and the Middle East Angopo Gnaedinger and the head of its Mission in Yugoslavia Michel Frey. The Minister and the Red Cross officials said that cooperation between the ICRC and Serbian state institutions was suc cessful.

The Red Cross officials said that the ICRC would continue playing its hu manitarian role with the help of Serbian institutions, as terrorist acts being perpetrated by ethnic Albanian secessionists make intensified human itarian activity necessary.

Jankovic informed the delegation of the Government's endeavors to resolv e the problems in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija by peacef ul means and to enable all citizens to return to their homes and families 2E

The Government is constantly endeavoring to establish political dialogue with representatives of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija, and to prov ide food, medicines and other necessities to all in the Province, and is taking legal measures to prevent secessionist and terrorist acts and take their perpetrators to justice, Jankovic said.

The Red Cross should take note of the concern of the Yugoslav public opi nion with the lack of interest by humanitarian organizations in the fate of Serbs abducted by ethnic Albanian terrorists, Jankovic said.

[05] SERBIAN POLICE CRUSH TERRORISTS IN OVCAREVO

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Serbian police are holding under complete control the area between the m unicipalities of Klina and Srbica, from which ethnic Albanian terrorists attacked citizens for months, and the notorious terrorist base in the vil lage of Ovcarevo was also crushed, Tanjug was told by Klina municipal cou ncil president Sveto Dabizljevic. Terrorists threw away their arms and un iforms and withdrew deep into the Drenica region, leaving behind trenches and bunkers full of ammunition and medical equipment.

The liberation of dozens of villages in Klina and the crushing of terror ists in Ovcarevo have filled citizens with self-confidence and, with the financial assistance of local authorities and the Serbian Government, the y are intensively repairing the houses that terrorists had torn down or t orched.

[06] YUGOSLAV ARMY PREVENTS ILLEGAL ENTRY OF TERRORISTS

Tanjug, 1998-08-09

The Yugoslav Army Staff said on Sunday evening in a statement that a lar ge group of terrorists attempted to cross the state border illegally from Albania at 1 a.m. on August 9. Yugoslav border guards once again bravely prevented the attempt and dispersed the group, killing several terrorist s, the statement says.

Fleeing in panic back to Albania, the terrorists left behind arms and eq uipment they were carrying on packhorses to give to the remnants of the s elf-styled Kosovo Liberation Army for terrorist acts in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija.

The arms left behind by terrorists, who had undergone training in a base in Kuksi, Albania, included 47 rifles, 6 machineguns, 5 hand-held launch ers, a British-made mine detector and ammunition, uniforms and other equi pment.

Attempting to flee back to Albania during the day, the terrorists opened fire several times on Yugoslav Army troops, which sustained no losses, t he statement says.

[07] FRENCH MEDIA REACT TO FALSE REPORTS ON KOSMET DEVELOPMENTS

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

French media on Friday carried new denials of claims about alleged mass graves near Orahovac, Serbia's souther province of Kosovo and Metohija (Kosmet, 1998), launched by German reporter Erich Ratfelder. A denial was a lso given by NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana, the media said.

The denials came after it was determined that there was no mass grave si te anywhere near Orahovac. This was also established by European diplomat s who were on the spot and Serbian police, all of whom issued statements to that effect.

Radio France International (RFI, 1998) said reporter Ratfelder had admit ted he had not personally seen the graves. Ratfelder's false report had b een carried by German, Austrian, Swedish and some other western European pepers.

The false news on mass graves was also the subject of a report published in the International Herald Tribune, an English-language daily printed i n Paris. Along with these denials, the paper also quoted Austrian diploma t Walter Ebenberg who told the Austrian news agency APA that there is no mass grave in Orahovac.

[08] YUGOSLAV EMBASSY CAUTIONS GERMAN PUBLISHER OVER MASS GRAVES LIE

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

The Yugoslav Embassy in Bonn on Friday took legal action against the Tag eszeitung newspaper for leading a campaign of publishing alarmist reports aimed at raising tension in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija Province.

The Embassy issued a statement to say that, through the Bemert and Bemer t Law Office of Berlin, it had served cautionary notice on Tageszeitung o ver its publication on Tuesday of a lie about mass graves at Orahovac in Kosovo and Metohija.

The notice refutes, point by point, the Tageszeitung correspondent's gro ssly untrue allegations about mass graves in the Province and a large num ber of bodies buried in them, and demands that this kind of writing stop and a retraction be published.

Yugoslavia's resolute response to the campaign conducted by the German n ewspaper, as well as by some Austrian and U.S. media, has attracted the a ttention of the media in the rest of the world.

In Germany, the Yugoslav Embassy has been approached for additional info rmation about the notice served on Tageszeitung over its text "Mass grave s now found in Kosovo," and for the official Yugoslav position on the cur rent situation in Kosovo and Metohija.

This, however, is not enough to show that the newspaper assumes respons ibility for the damage caused to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by pu blishing the report or that it is ready to follow it up by a change in a ttitude, the Embassy statement said.

[09] YUGOSLAV EMBASSY LODGES PROTEST WITH WASHINGTON TIMES

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

The Yugoslav Embassy in Washington on Friday sent a letter of protest to the Editor's Office of the Washington Times because of a Thursday report on alleged massive grave sites in Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija (kosmet, 1998) Province.

Yugoslav Mission head Nebojsa Vujovic expressed strong criticisms of the false, malicious and provocative report on non-existent graves. The prot est warns that the lies on alleged massive graves were denied from a numb er of sources, including a European Union delegation which had been on th e spot.

Warning against the danger of a media campaign against Yugoslavia, Vujov ic said such actions by the media were undermining efforts at a peaceful settlement of problems in this Serbian Province.

Vujovic said U.S. readers should be informed about key issues and the ro ots of the Kosmet crisis, something they cannot find in the local papers.

The U.S. public should be given objective and true information about act ivities of terrorists and separatists in Kosmet, arms smuggling, and incu rsions by mercenaries across an internationally recognized border, he sai d. Readers must also learn that terrorists are being trained and recruite d in special camps abroad, and learn about other relevant facts, Vujovic said.

The Charge D'Affaires said the problems in Kosmet demanded the soonest p ossible solution which would be difficult to find if Yugoslavia was not g ranted the generally recognized rights to protection its territorial int egrity, curb terrorism, and maintain public law and order.

The Washington Times report presented a series of the most foul lies, al legedly quoting several anonymous Kosmet Albanians.

[10] TWO ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE DAILIES REFUSE TO PRINT SERBIAN POLICE APPEAL

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

The Pristina Albanian-language dailies Koha Ditore and Bujku have reject ed a request by the Information Secretariat of the southern Serbian provi nce of Kosovo and Metohija (Kosmet, 1998) that they print (and charge as an advertisement, 1998) an appeal by the Serbian Interior Ministry to dis placed ethnic Albanians to return to their homes.

Kosmet Information Secretary Bosko Drobnjak told Tanjug that these two d ailies thus yet again confirmed their direct support to ethnic Albanian t errorism and their opposition to the real interests of members of the Alb anian national minority in Yugoslavia. Bujku even published "an extremely speculative and extremely inhuman commentary, advising its fellow ethnic Albanians to turn away from the hand of the Serbian state organs offerin g sincere and concrete help of all kinds," he said.

[11] ABOUT 10,000 ETHNIC ALBANIANS RETURN TO GLOGOVAC

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

About 10,000 ethnic Albanians returned to Glogovac on Thursday and Frida y, responding to a Serbian Government and Interior Ministry appeal to ret urn home, where they would be guaranteed full security, municipal authori ties told Tanjug.

The citizens fled their homes during the ethnic Albanian terrorists' ram page in the area.

They believe that competent state organs will protect them from ethnic A lbanian extremists and terrorists and assist them in keeping with the Gov ernment appeal, which is aimed at normalising the situation throughout Ko sovo and Metohija as soon as possible.

[12] SERBIA SUCCESSFULLY PRESENTED IN GREECE

Tanjug, 1998-08-09

The recent media presentation of Serbia and the Yugoslav team's success at the World Basketball Championship in Athens have contributed to the co untry's greater affirmation in Greece, Yugoslav Ambassador in Athens Drag omir Vucicevic and Serbian Information Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Saturday.

Vucicevic told Tanjug that Greek press and electronic media had been mak ing daily reference to Yugoslavia since late July. "The success of our ba sketball team at the World Championship is accompanied by praises of our sport in general and increased interest in the Federal Republic of Yugosl avia," he said.

"The presentation covered in a convincing and effective manner all curre nt aspects of economic, scientific, technological and cultural life of Se rbia and its citizens as well as the Serb people's historical and cultura l achievements and Serbia's scenery," he said.

Vucic, who made a series of useful contacts and met with a number of Gre ek officials and representatives of Greek media, voiced confidence with h is reception in all these meetings.

He said it had been agreed that the Serbian Information Ministry and the Greek Mass Media Ministry strengthen ties. He also said the visit had be en aimed at presenting Serbia of today in the Greek public and at informi ng it about developments in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Meto hija and Serbia's and Yugoslavia's stand on the issue, saying this goal h ad been achieved.

[13] YUGOSLAV SAINOVIC, BRITISH DONNELLY MEET OVER "CONTACT GROUP" PAPER

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Yugoslav Vice Premier Nikola Sainovic, in his capacity as member of the State's delegation to talks with ethnic Albanians, received on Friday the Ambassador of Great Britain to Yugoslavia, Joseph Brian Donnelly, at the latter's request.

Donnelly delivered to Sainovic a text stating the positions of the "Cont act Group" states as concerns ways and means for dealing with the problem of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija Province. Donne lly delivered to Sainovic also a copy of the text for Serbian President M ilan Milutinovic.

Sainovic said that the attitude of the "Contact group" may be regarded a s a positive step and an unequivocal expression of these states' shared r ejection of separatism and of the concept of a Republic of Kosovo.

With this document, the "Contact group" states have made official their common support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia an d of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, he said.

It is especially important that the first option in the "Contact Group" paper provides for an accord between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, its republic of Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija's ethnic Albanians, withou t outside recognition.

This will stimulate the efforts for settling the problem of Kosovo and M etohija as an internal problem of Serbia and Yugoslavia by political mean s.

The Yugoslav and Serbian governments' well-known position to set up the highest standards for human and civic rights is in itself a guarantee tha t the various ideas and the international practice as set down in the pap er will be carefully studied and taken as a form of well-intentioned supp ort for the efforts to find concrete solutions by a concerted effort of the state delegation and a delegation of ethnic Albanian political partie s.

Sainovic said it is now necessary to renew dialogue and urgently open ta lks between the state and Kosovo and Metohija's ethnic Albanian political parties.

Sainovic briefed Donnelly about the progress of humanitarian drives in K osovo and Metohija and about the return of a growing number of ethnic Alb anians to their homes, which they left fleeing before ethnic Albanian ter rorist operations.

[14] SLOVAKIAN OFFICIAL SAYS SLOVAKIA CONDEMNS TERRORISM, VIOLENCE

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Slovakian Parliament Speaker Ivan Gasparovic said here on Friday evening that Slovakia sees all actions that jeopardize the integrity of Yugoslav ia and Serbia as highly dangerous in the broader international context.

Addressing a formal session of the Assembly of the Slovakian Homeland So ciety in Yugoslavia, Gasparovic said that Slovakia "condemns terrorism an d violence as a form and way of achieving political goals."

We welcome every proposal that is conducive to a true political dialogue and a final settlement, which will secure normal life of all the people, he said.

Referring to the position of national minorities, Gasparovic said that b ilateral relations are essential if ethnic minorities are to attain the h ighest European standards in the exercise of their rights.

He said that relations between Slovakia and the Federal Republic of Yugo slavia are regular and based on mutual understanding and bilateral contac ts.

The formal session of the Slovakian Homeland Society in Yugoslavia is pa rt of a three-day ethnic Slovak festival held in the town of Backi Petrov ac in Serbia's northern Province of Vojvodina.

Serbian Minister Ivan Sedlak said that this event is another confirmatio n that ethnic Slovaks, as well as other national minorities and ethnic gr oups in Vojvodina, are living in harmony and their co-existence is based on understanding and cooperation and all of them are free to develop and cherish their respective native languages, traditions and folklore.

Such events enrich the multicultural space of Vojvodina, Serbia and Yugo slavia and they will be fully supported by the Serbian Government in the future, Sedlak said.

[15] RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS SERBIAN OFFICIALS

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Coordinator of activities of state institutions in Serbia's southern pro vince of Kosovo-Metohija Andreja Milosavljevic and Administrator of the K osovo District Veljko Odalovic met on Friday in Pristina Russian Deputy F oreign Minister Nikolai Afanasyevsky.

Afanasyevsky is visiting Pristina accompanied by the Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Youri Kotov and by the head of the diplomatic mission in Koso vo- Metohija Sergei Lavrov and their assistants.

The problems in Kosovo-Metohija can be resolved only by political means. Contacts between a state delegation and representatives of political par ties of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija must therefore be resumed as soon as possible in order to initiate dialogue as the only way of resolvi ng the situation in the Province in a peaceful manner, it was noted durin g the meeting.

Milosavljevic said that Serbian Government was exerting tremendous endea vors for the implementation of the Moscow Declaration issued by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and Russian President Boris Yeltsin, and und erlined that humanitarian aid deliveries to the province were unhindered and that free movement of humanitarian missions and foreign diplomats was ensured.

Afanasyevsky pointed to the importance of implementing the Moscow decla ration as it envisages a series of measures for overcoming the current si tuation in Kosovo-Metohija. The results already achieved in this regard m ust be consolidated, he said.

Milosavljevic and Odalovic said that measures were being taken to ensure the return of ethnic Albanians to their homes, and that considerable res ults in this regard have already been achieved in Orahovac, Suva Reka, Gl ogovac and Ade.

Milosavljevic especially pointed to the problem of finding and releasing persons abducted by ethnic Albanian terrorists, and said that the intern ational community must do more to help resolve this problem as the result s achieved so far are not at all encouraging.

[16] AFANASYEVSKI: ONLY A PEACEFUL, POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR KOSMET

Tanjug, 1998-08-08

Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Nikolai Afanasyevski urged in Belgrade o n Saturday a peaceful political solution to the Kosmet crisis, underscori ng that this problem "cannot be solved through a foreign military interv ention." "There is no military solution for the Kosovo and Metohija prob lmes," Afanasyevski told a press conference at the Russian Embassy in Bel grade.

"We view as unrealistic and dangerous for someone to achieve a victory o ver someone else," he said.

Speaking about the humanitirian situation in Kosmet, Afanasyevski assess ed positively the Serbian Government's efforts to secure the fast and saf e return of refugees to their permanenet homes. "It is very important tha t the Serbian authorities are taking strong steps to provide humanitarian aid and are creating conditions for the safe return of refugees," Afanas yevski said. "This creates a feeling of security in people," he added.

Afanasyevski said that his mission was to stimulate the speedy renewal o f the dialogue between the Serbian authorities and the representatives of ethnic Albanians in Kosmet. Urging the "speedy start of peace talks", Af anasyevski recalled that the Serbian authorities are "ready for the dialo gue" and that "now Russia is urging the ethnic Albanians to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible."

"We believe that that unity of the ethnic Albanian political parties is very important," Afanasyevski pointed out and underscored the need for th e platform for the resolution of the problmes to be of a political nature.

Afanasyevski informed the press that Ibrahim Rugova received today a doc ument from the Contact Group containing possible solutions for Kosmet in keeping with the experiences of the most developped European countries. " The document does not contain final formulas," but is "a mixture of issue s which the Contact Group believes should be discussed," Afanasyevski sai d.

"The status of Kosovo and Metohija must be linked to the constitution of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," Afanasyevski said and po inted out that the document "does not contain anything which could allow for the possibility of creating an independent Kosmet."

He set out that during this current visit to Yugoslavia he had been rece ived by President Slobodan Milosevic and that during this visit to this c ountry he had "a series of interesting and important meetings."

[17] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES CHINESE DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-08-08

Serbian Parliament Speaker Dragan Tomic received on Saturday in Belgrade the delegation of the PanChinese National Congress headed by Peng Peiyun.

Tomic expressed gratitude to the delegation for China's principled polic y regarding all issues vital for Serbia and Yugoslavia, and for its endea vors to have such issues resolved in line with internationaly recognized principles and the UN Charter. Friendly relations and bilateral cooperati on with China are developing steadily, and were given an outstanding impe tus by the visit of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to China, Tomic said. Tomic informed the visiting delegation of the current developments in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija, and underlined that al l minorities in Serbia, including ethnic Albanians, were guaranteed all h uman and civil rights in line with international standards.

Vice-President of the Standing Committee of the PanChinese National Cong ress Peng Peiyun underlined that the friendship and deep understanding be tween the two countries were based on their identical or very similar vie ws on all current international issues. China wishes to intensify all-ro und bilateral cooperation, Peng said.

China's leadership follows with particular attention the developments in Yugoslavia and the region, and Yugoslavia's and Serbia's endeavors to re solve the complex problems in Kosovo-Metohija, Peng said.

Peng reiterated that China's leadership supports Yugoslavia and its peop le in resisting foreign pressures and attempts at interfering in its inte rnal affairs, especially its endeavors to resolve all problems in Kosovo - Metohija by peaceful means and dialogue, not by foreign interference or the use of force. Yugoslavia's policy is in the interest of the entire r egion and of Europe, and is geared for the preservation of peace and stab ility in the region. China will endeavor to provide its full support to s uch policy, Peng said.

China is ready to help Yugoslavia and Serbia by all means at its disposa l in resolving the existing difficulties. China is also ready to fully su pport Yugoslavia's reintegration in the international community, Peng sai d.

The meeting was attended also by Chinese Ambassador to Yugoslavia Pan Zh anlin and President ot the Foreign Policy Committee Ratomir Vico.

[18] WASHINGTON SAYS THERE IS NO PROOF OF MASS GRAVES IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Washington has confirmed that there is no evidence about alleged mass gr aves in Kosovo and Metohija, which some Western media, joined by part of the U.S. press, have tried to allege.

White House Spokesman Philip Crawley told a news conference that the Uni ted States had no proof that a mass grave existed. He said that diplomati c representatives had already visited the area near Orahovac and seen a s ite with about 50 marks in the ground.

Crawley was responding to questions by reporters, who said that the Unit ed Nations and NATO had said they had no proof to confirm that about 500 civilians had been buried there.

[19] YUGOSLAV VICE PREMIER RECEIVES CHINESE NATIONAL CONGRESS DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Yugoslav Vice Premier Zoran Lilic received on Friday a delegation of the Chinese National Congress (parliament, 1998), headed by Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee Mrs Peng Peijun, a Government statement said.

Both sides expressed pleasure at the intensive, substantive and stable b ilateral relations, whose constant improvement is proof of traditional f riendship between the two countries.

Lilic said Yugoslavia admires the results of the "one country * two sys tems" policy of the People's Republic of China.

Mrs Peng, for her part, said that the root of the two nations' deep unde rstanding lies in their identical or closely similar views on all importa nt political questions today.

The delegation inquired about the most complex question in Yugoslavia an d its republic of Serbia today * efforts by ethnic Albanian separatists a nd terrorists to detach part of Serbia from Yugoslavia.

If 32 nations and nationalities, Lilic said, are satisfied with their po sition, exercise their rights and honour their duties, and only ethnic Al banians are dissatisfied and ignore their rights and duties, then they do not have a problem but separatist aspirations.

It is clear to everybody that the purpose behind the ethnic Albanian ter rorist operations in Kosovo and Metohija is to create a Greater Albania, he went on.

He said that ethnic Albanian separatists carried out nearly 800 terroris t operations in less than 7 months, killing 56 civilians, 32 of them ethn ic Albanians loyal to the Serbian state, 37 police officers, and abductin g 122 people, 33 of them ethnic Albanians.

The terrorists are preventing dialogue, while the Government insists pre cisely on dialogue for settling the problem and offers the highest possib le level of ethnic rights and autonomy, he said.

The Government is determined to keep Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia, and is prepared to defend its right to sovereignty and territorial integr ity with all weapons at its disposal, he said.

He went on to say that the Government does not want war and insists that this internal problem can be settled only by peaceful means. In this, he explained, the country needs the support of the international community and the United Nations, because it can safely be said that, in this case, international organisations do not honour their own documents.

Mrs Peng said that China is against independence for Kosovo and Metohija and supports the Yugoslav people who are resisting all outside pressure.

China is against interference in Yugoslavia's internal affairs and again st dealing with the problem by force, she said, adding that the only way to settle the matter is through dialogue.

The international community should take such measures as would safeguard peace and stability in Yugoslavia and in the whole region, and the Peopl e's Republic of China will give its support to such a policy, she said.

[20] CHINESE-YUGOSLAV RELATIONS IMPROVING IN ALL AREAS

Tanjug, 1998-08-07

Delegations of the Yugoslav Parliament and the PanChinese National Congr ess agreed in talks in Belgrade on Friday that relations between the two traditionally friendly countries were improving in all areas and that mu tual cooperation should be further promoted.

Yugoslav delegation head and Vice-President of the Chamber of Citizens M ilutin Ojdanic said Yugoslavia and its citizens highly appreciated the re lations between China and Yugoslavia and the support and aid provided by China through its principled stands.

Cooperation between China and Yugoslavia is very successful in all areas , Ojdanic said. He pointed out that the visit of Yugoslav President Slobo dan Milosevic to China had contributed to the traditional relations betwe en the two countries becoming even better and diversified and that the De claration on friendly cooperation between the two countries had been sig ned at that time.

Ojdanic informed the Chinese MPs about the problems in Serbia's Kosovo a nd Metohija (Kosmet, 1998) Province, where ethnic Albanian separatists we re trying to secede a part of Yugoslav territory and redraw its borders.

"In Kosovo and Metohija we have ethnic Albanians who will not participat e in the system of authority and the regular legal relations which are va lid in our country," Ojdanic said, adding that this internal problem was being fanned by certain western countries which have interests in the ins tability of this area.

Chinese delegation head, Standing Committee Vice-President Peng Peiyun s aid international politics had changed much in the past few years, but th at relations between Yugoslavia and China had strengthened and progressed even on these new foundations.

China respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity o f Yugoslavia and the path of development chosen by the Yugoslav people, s he said, underscoring that the Chinese people admired the Yugoslav people who stand firm in their struggle for independence, sovereignty and integ rity, resisting large outside pressures.

China has a consistent stand on Kosmet. China supports Yugoslavia's stan d that problems in Kosmet can be settled only through political dialogue between the interested sides, Peng said.

China respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Yugoslavia a nd is against the independence of Kosovo and Metohija, and against any mi litary threats or military interventions, she said.

China supports Yugoslavia's full return to the international community a nd is ready to invest the utmost efforts to help Yugoslavia resolve its d ifficulties, Peng said.

Chamber of Citizens Foreign Relations Committee President Ljubisa Ristic said Yugoslavs greatly appreciated the fact that China has always suppor ted, in principle, their struggle for independence and territorial integr ity.

Foreign Relations Committee member Nedeljko Sipovac said economic cooper ation had improved in the recent years and that the good friendly relatio ns between the two countries deserved an even greater scale of cooperatio n in this area.

[21] BRITISH AMBASSADOR HOLDS TALKS WITH ETHNIC ALBANIAN LEADER

Tanjug, 1998-08-08

Britian's Ambassador in Belgrade Joseph Brian Donnelly informed on Satur day ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova about the six-nation 'Contact G roup' solutions to problems in Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo and M etohija.

After a meeting held behind closed doors in Pristina, the Province's cen tre, Donnelly told reporters that solutions to all problems in Kosovo and Metohija could only be found through peaceful means and the resumption o f dialogue.

He listed as priority cessation of hostilities in the Province and resto ring security, which he said would make possible the return of all to the ir homes.

Donnelly declined comment on whether Rugova had accepted the solutions, stressing yet again that talks should resume immediately.

[22] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC CONGRATULATES BASKETBALL TEAM

Tanjug, 1998-08-09

Serbian President Milan Milutinovic addressed on Sunday evening a messag e of congratulations to the Yugoslav national basketball team on winning the World Championship in Athens.

Brilliant playing throughout the Championship, athletic and competitive spirit and patriotism demonstrated by the team has shown that it cannot b e stopped by any obstacles, Milutinovic said in his message, thanking the players for the joy and pride they brought to Serbia by defending Yugosl avia's colors in the Championship.

President Milutinovic wished the team more medals in the future.

[23] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONGRATULATES BASKETBALL TEAM

Tanjug, 1998-08-09

President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic addre ssed on Sunday evening a message of congratulations to the national baske tball team on winning the World Championship in Athens.

Expressing his sincere congratulations to the team for winning the gold medal and the title of world champion, President Milosevic said that all Yugoslav citizens were proud of the series of victories, top playing skil l, and athletic and competitive spirit demonstrated by the team.

The brilliant victory of the national basketball team has largely contri buted to Yugoslavia's world renown, the President said in his message and wished the players future success and happiness.

[24] WASHINGTON TIMES PRINTS YUGOSLAV MISSION'S PROTEST LETTER

Tanjug, 1998-08-09

Sunday's Washington Times daily carried a protest letter by the head of the Yugoslav Mission in Washington, Nebojsa Vujovic, who criticized this paper over a recently published story about the alleged discovery of mas s graves in Kosmet.

The Washington Times published a story titeled "Struggle Against Albania n Terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija" quoting the protest letter.

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