Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-11-06

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAVIA, RUSSIA SIGN PROTOCOL ON SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION

[02] YUGOSLAV INFORMATION SECRETARY ADDRESSES TANJUG ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

[03] CHINA: DANGEROUS SIGNALS OF A POLICY OF FORCE

[04] IFJ OFFICIAL DEPLORES TANJUG REPORTERS DETENTION BY ETHNIC ALBANIANS

[05] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS AMBUSH POLICE PATROL IN SERBIA'S PROVINCE

[06] SERBIA TAKES OVER WATER PROTECTION TASK FORCE PRESIDENCY

[07] YUGOSLAV, INDIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTERS SIGN PROTOCOL

[08] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT HEARS REPORT ON YUGOSLAV-LIBYAN COMMITTEE SESSION

[09] KOSOVO DISTRICT CHIEF MEETS U.S. MISSION CHIEF, CANADIAN AMBASSADOR

[10] PROBLEMS IN KOSMET TO BE RESOLVED BY POLITICAL MEANS, MILUTINOVIC SAYS

[01] YUGOSLAVIA, RUSSIA SIGN PROTOCOL ON SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Yugoslav Deputy Minister of Science, Development and Ecology Veljko Cago rovic and Russian Deputy Minister of Science Vladimir Knazhev said on Thu rsday, after an inter-state protocol and program on scientific-technical cooperation through the year 2000 were signed, that the document would he lp further promote good relations between the two countries' scientific institutions. The program covers 21 projects in various areas.

[02] YUGOSLAV INFORMATION SECRETARY ADDRESSES TANJUG ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Yugoslav Information Secretary Goran Matic said at a celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Yugoslav News Agency Tanjug on Thursday at the Yu goslav Parliament that the present was the time of great challenges and t esting for journalism, and that the fight for truth and timely reporting had become a synonim and imperative of today.

Since Tanjug's creation on November 5, 1943, Yugoslavia has known many d ifficulties and many victories, Matic said.

Tanjug's journalists, as recorders and witnesses of such developments, h ave been informing the Yugoslav and foreign public according to the lofti est criteria of their profession, Matic underlined.

Referring to the latest developments in Serbia's southern Province of Ko sovo-Metohija, Matic said that ethnic Albanian separatist and terrorist f orces had for many years been trying to break the Province away from Serb ia and Yugoslavia. Terrorists are disregarding the endeavors of Serbian a nd Yugoslav authorities to find a lasting and peaceful solution through p olitical dialogue and by diplomatic means, Matic said.

Taking part in the fight for territorial integrity and state sovereignty , Tanjug's journalists have been providing truthful information to local and foreign public on the developments in the Province, Matic said and no ted that unfortunately, they had become the targets of ethnic Albanian te rrorists.

Of all journalists, those working for Tanjug have been the most frequent targets of attacks by terrorists, which proves that they are the foremos t defenders of truth and Yugoslavia, Matic said.

Wishing the agency success in the future and expressing conviction that its journalists would perservere on the way of true, timely and objective reporting, Matic expressed hope that the future would be marked by commu nication among men such as Tanjug had been strriving for for the past 55 years.

May that be the path towards truth and objectivity, towards communicatio n among men, towards the development of a humane society, towards man as a moral, ethical and social being, Matic said.

[03] CHINA: DANGEROUS SIGNALS OF A POLICY OF FORCE

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Western countries, spearheaded by the United States and Great Britain, a re trying to treat the United Nations Security Council as their instrumen t, the Chinese weekly Views said in its latest issue. In a critical revie w on the behaviour of the West, the weekly said western countries were as king the Security Council to adopt their unjustified decisions and to giv e them the mandate and a "just cause" to interfere in the internal affair s of other countries.

The commentary was triggered by the recent attempt by the United States, Great Britain and some other western countries to include authorization for NATO to use force against Yugoslavia in the latest Security Council R esolution on Kosovo and Metohija (Kosmet, 1998).

If such a trend is allowed to continute, then the leading role of the Se curity Council in resolving major international problems such as the ques tion of war or peace will be severely impaired, Views said.

The author pointed out that the countries which had tabled the draft res olution had accepted its revision in intense consultations at the council and thanks to the strong opposition and dramatic struggle of China, Russ ia and some other members.

Thus the final draft did not mention any authorization for the use of fo rce or threats with the use of force against Yugoslavia, the weekly said.

Kosmet is a province in Yugoslavia's Republic of Serbia and an inter-eth nic conflict in that region presents an internal affair of Yugoslavia, th e weekly said.

This internal affair is being internationalized thanks to the active int erference of western powers, the weekly warned, pointing out that the Sec urity Council this year adopted three resolutions on Kosmet, thus constan tly pressuring Yugoslavia, its Government, and the Serbian Government.

In mid-October, NATO adopted a one-sided decision, without consulting th e Security Council and without authorization from the United Nations, and even against the articles of its own Statute, to take military action ag ainst the sovereign country of Yugoslavia, the author stressed. Lately, Yugoslavia has been investing vast efforts to settle the crisis in Kosmet and achieve lasting peace in that region, the weekly said. The internati onal community should give an objective and positive evaluation of this, said the author.

Unfortunately, at the very time of this positive atmosphere over Kosmet, NATO launched this irresponsible action which is not only gross interfer ence in the internal affairs of an independent and sovereign country, but a breach of the principles of the U.N. Charter, international laws and t he generally accepted norms of international relations, the weekly said.

Moreover, this NATO action also presents slighting of and a challenge to the United Nations and the Security Council. The move of the western all iance is a very dangerous precedent in international relations with a neg ative impact on world relations, said the weekly.

The move shows the intentions of NATO and some western countries to act arbitrarily in settling major international issues, leaving on the side t he United Nations and the Security Council, and practicing a policy of th e right of strength and hegemony, the commentary concluded.

All peace-loving countries and peoples should be wary of this occurence, the Chinese weekly warned, confirming China's assessment that the danger ous policy of force is being tested on the example of Kosmet, a policy fr om which no point on the planet would be safe.

[04] IFJ OFFICIAL DEPLORES TANJUG REPORTERS DETENTION BY ETHNIC ALBANIANS

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Aidan White, secretary general of the International Federation of Journa lists (IFJ, 1998), said on Thursday he was deeply shocked by the detentio n of two TANJUG reporters by ethnic Albanian terrorists in Kosovo-Metohij a.

In a letter to Tanjug, White said that the IFJ had written to KLA Spokes man Adem Demaqi expressing concern and stressing that actions of this kin d undermined the efforts to restore the rule of law and the free flow of information in Kosovo-Metohija.

White went on to say the IFJ questioned if these actions had any judicia l or legal foundation. "We hope that all our efforts will result in our c olleagues being relesed and returning to work," White said in the letter to TANJUG.

[05] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS AMBUSH POLICE PATROL IN SERBIA'S PROVINCE

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Ethnic Albanian terrorists in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia's Kosovo-M etohija Province attacked a police patrol car early on Wednesday, a polic e source in the Province's chief city of Pristina said. The car, ambushe d not far from the town of Klina in the direction of Josanica at around 1 0 a.m., was hit by eight bullets, the District Court in Pec said in a rep ort.

The police returned fire, killing one attacker, who was wearing the unif orm of the terrorist organisation calling itself the Kosovo Liberation Ar my, and carried an automatic rifle and a pistol. The dead terrorist has n ot been identified, the source said.

[06] SERBIA TAKES OVER WATER PROTECTION TASK FORCE PRESIDENCY

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

The Yugoslav Republic of Serbia on Thursday took over a water protection task force presidency within the Danube Basin Countries' Association.

Serbia took over the presidency from Austria's Vienna Province at the cl ose of a water protection task force session held in Vienna.

Minister without portfolio Slobodan Tomovic, who heads a Serbian Governm ent delegation, signed a protocol on taking over the water protection tas k force presidency.

The delegation includes also Assistant Construction Minister Miodrag Fer encak and Environment Ministry Adviser Bratislav Krstic, who are both mem bers of the association's physical planning and environmental protection task force.

Tomovic told Yugoslav reporters after the session, that the water protec tion task force would be meeting in Belgrade in the future.

He said that Serbia's taking over the task force presidency was also see n as a confirmation of its correct policy and efforts exerted so far towa rd cooperation within the Danube Basin Countries' Association. He stresse d that this was the first time Serbia was holding the presidency within t his international organization.

He said that Serbia's participation within the Danube Basin Countries' A ssociation had thereby been verified, as Serbia was one of the Associatio n's founders. He also said that, at the same time, the record had been se t straight, because Serbia had been excluded from this institution during the period of international sanctions against Yugoslavia.

Tomovic said that upon the lifting of the sanctions, Serbia had immediat ely resumed its participation in this institution, re-entering its manage ment on Thursday.

He said he expected the presidency takeover to boost activities also wit hin other task forces and that Serbia would achieve the rank it deserved both as a founder of the Association and also as a state situated in the center of the Danube basin.

[07] YUGOSLAV, INDIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTERS SIGN PROTOCOL

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Yugoslav Minister of Agriculture Nedeljko Sipovac and his Indian counter part Sompal signed on Thursday in New Delhi a Protocol on cooperation in agriculture.

Minister Sipovac was received on Thursday by Indian Vice-President Krish nan Kant, to whom Sipovac conveyed greetings from Yugoslav President Slob odan Milosevic for Indian President Narayan.

Kant pointed to India's unwavering support to Yugoslavia and noted that both countries needed to intensify economic cooperation, especially as re gards agriculture. The visit of the Yugoslav delegation will make a signi ficant contribution to the development of bilateral ties, he said.

Sipovac pointed to the traditional friendship between Yugoslavia and Ind ia and noted it was particularly valuable at the time when Yugoslavia was subjected to sanctions and to NATO threats of air strikes over the situa tion in Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo-Metohija.

The Yugoslav business delegation comprising managers of large companies such as the machine industries IMT and Zmaj, the soya processing industry , the Agriculture Institute from Novi Sad, the meat processing industry f rom Leskovac, Serbian water management authority and the oil processing i ndustry from Novi Sad, held talks on future cooperation projects with Ind ian businessmen at the Indian Chambers of Trade and Industry.

Director of the Yugoslav Institute of Genetic Research Jan Kiskeci spoke in detail of Yugoslavia's economic potentials.

[08] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT HEARS REPORT ON YUGOSLAV-LIBYAN COMMITTEE SESSION

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Yugoslav Government held a session on Thursday chaired by Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic and discussed and accepted a report on the eighth sessio n of the Yugoslav-Libyan Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation held from October 24 to 26 in Tripoli.

The Government noted that the Commitee session was very successful and p aved the way for intensifying economic, scientific and technical cooperat ion between the two countries.

The Agreements concluded in Tripoli cover the import of oil from Libya u nder favorable conditions in exchange for the export of Yugoslav-made goo ds, and the realization of capital investment projects in Libya by Yugosl av companies.

[09] KOSOVO DISTRICT CHIEF MEETS U.S. MISSION CHIEF, CANADIAN AMBASSADOR

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Chief of the Kosovo district of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo - Metohija Province Veljko Odalovic on Thursday met U.S. Chief of Mission to Yugoslavia Richard Miles and Canadian Ambassador to Yugoslavia Raphael Girard. Odalovic informed the guests about the current situation in the Province.

He said that the state and its institutions were exerting major efforts toward fully honoring an agreement on a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Kosovo-Metohija, reached between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevi c and U.S. Envoy to the Balkans Richard Holbrooke in Belgrade on October 13.

Odalovic said that ethnic Albanian terrorist gangs continued their opera tions in the Province. He urged the international community to step up pr essure, condemn terrorism and back the state's legitimate right to neutra lize terrorist activities.

Odalovic said that the Agreement showed that the state and its instituti ons were committed to supporting all activities of an OSCE verification m ission to Kosovo-Metohija and other missions there and to offering them m aximum cooperation. Miles said for his part, that the OSCE verification m ission would help restore trust and solve problems in Kosovo-Metohija pea cefully.

[10] PROBLEMS IN KOSMET TO BE RESOLVED BY POLITICAL MEANS, MILUTINOVIC SAYS

Tanjug, 1998-11-05

Serbian President Milan Milutinovic talked in Pristina on Thursday with the mayors, deputies and District chiefs in Kosovo and Meothija. Milutino vic was informed about the security, political and economic-social situat ion in the Province by Zoran Andjelkovic, President of the Provisional Ex ecutive Council of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Meothija, and b y deputy Vojislav Zivkovic.

Milutinovic pointed out that the Accord reached with the international c ommunity was a firm agreement to resolve problems in Kosovo and Metohija by political means, while fully respecting the equality of all citizens a nd all national communities living in the territory, within the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Milutinovic emphasized that Albanian terrorism had been defeated, and th at major terrorist strongholds had been detsroyed. That means, he added, that problems in Kosovo and Meothija can no longer be considered as soley a security issue.

At the same time, Milutionovic said, conditions have been created to foc us on political, economic, social and cultural issues, which is evidenced by the strengthening of civilian structures and the speedy normalization of overall circumstances in the Province.

The Serbian President underlined that the normalization of the situation , the prevailing of reason over threats in resolving problems in Kosovo a nd Metohija, was an opportunity to reiterate calls to Serbs, Montengrins, Albanians, Muslims, Turks, Romanies and Highlanders, to all those living in the territory, to resume dialoge for the resolution of problems.

"It is of the utmost importance for Kosovo and Metohija and all its inha bitants that democratic, equality-based and lasting political solutions b e found as soon as possible. Courage, determination, organization and pat ience are required if that is to be achieved. The stepped-up political p rocess will lastingly dismiss force as a way of thinking and way of resol ving this issue and will strengthen tolerance, understanding and confiden ce. This approach is the best way to eliminate all forms of exclusiveness , extremism and hatred," President Milutinovic of Serbia said.

"Serbia has confirmed with its state policy and at the diplomatic level that it is firmly committed to political means of resolving problems in K osovo and Metohija. Precisely because we are principled in this approach of ours, I stress that Serbia is absolutely ready to defend and preserve the achieved peace and security of all its citizens," President Milutino vic set out.

"Just as well, no one should have any doubts that we have both the neces sary forces and potentials and will prevent anyone who undertakes again t o threaten the peace and security of our citizens," Milutinovic said.

He underscored that remnants of terrorist gangs would not succeed in the ir sporadic attempts to bring the political process to a halt. "However, these sporadic attempts should energetically be thwarted by security forc es. At the same time, they should sharply be condemned also by the intern ational community and all ethnic-Albanian political parties. It would be best proof that they, too, are committed to peaceful means of resolving p roblems and would eliminate the slightest notion the terrorists might hav e about having some kind of a backing and support," President Milutinovic said.

Milutinovic said that the OSCE mission was viewed by Yugoslavia and Serb ia "entirely as a method for the verification of what our state is doing to implement the agreed and the manner in which it is doing it."

President Milutinovic said he wished especially to stress that the futur e of Kosovo and Metohija did not lie in conflicts and attempts at aparthe id and self-isolation of national communities, and pointed out that the P rovince was rich in natural and economic resources which could quickly be mobilized in the interest of a better life of all its inhabitants.

"Our goal is to open prospects for the development of Kosovo and Metohij a and to close the spiral of conflicts, xenophobia, chauvinist, religious and historical prejudices, in other words, everything that divides indiv iduals and peoples," President Milutinovic said.

"Terrorism cannot solve anything, and the political process implies an i mmediate resumption of dialogue. We urge representatives of ethnic-Albani an political parties to realize that negotiations are a must and that, on the basis of equality and respect for the distinctive national features of others in Kosovo and Metohija, it is possible to achieve peace, preser ve the national indentity of all communities and record economic and cult ural development," Milutinovic stressed.

"Just as well, if the international community truly wants to help, it mu st be aware that the activating of the full rights of the Federal Republi c of Yugoslavia in international organizations and institutions would con stitute a major contribution to the stepping up of the political process and the normalization of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, to the pol itical approach in resolving problems, and, therefore, also to the stabil ization of the Balkan and southeast European region as a whole," Presiden t Milutinovic of Serbia said in Pristina.

After the meeting, President Milutinovic took a walk in the centre of th e city and met with Interior Ministry officials and officers of the Army of Yugoslavia Pristina Corps Command.

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