YDS 12/26

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory

From: [email protected] (D.D. Chukurov)

26. DECEMBER 1995. YUGOSLAV DAILY SURVEY

C O N T E N T S:

FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA - LILIC: CHINA FULLY BACKS YUGOSLAVIA'S RETURN TO WORLD INSTITUTIONS - YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES LIBERALIZATION OF VISA POLICY

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - BOSNIAN CROAT TROOPS OPEN FIRE ON BRITISH HELICOPTER

*LILIC: CHINA FULLY BACKS YUGOSLAVIA'S RETURN TO WORLD INSTITUTIONS

B e l g r a d e, Dec. 25 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic said Monday that ranking Chinese officials had fully backed Yugoslavia's unconditional return to international institutions. Addressing reporters on arriving in Belgrade, Lilic said Yugoslavia and China had had tradionally friendly relations for years and held similar or identical views on many international issues. He said this was also confirmed during a Yugoslav delegation's visit to China. Lilic said all officials he had met with, in particular Chinese President Jiang Zemin, had fully backed Yugoslavia's policy towards Bosnia-Herzegovina adopted at the outbreak of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Lilic stressed the importance of the Yugoslav delegation's visit to China, first such following the November 22 suspension of the sanctions against Belgrade. He also pointed out advantages of Chinese economic reforms which he said had preserved the social dimension and the workers' standard. 'We should also strive to achieve such a society, regardless of the two countries' specific features,' he said. Lilic described as extremely important talks that had dealt with economic issues, saying an inter-state committee for economic cooperation had held its first session during the Yugoslav delegation's visit to China. He said the two countries' businessmen had had successful meetings at which preliminary agreements and contracts on joint investments had been signed. Lilic said, 'conditions have been created for and the door opened to comprehensive cooperation between China and Yugoslavia,' saying the two countries were well on the way of strengthening still further their friendly relations.

*YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES LIBERALIZATION OF VISA POLICY

B e l g r a d e, Dec. 25 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic on Monday announced a liberalization of the visa policy next year to help restore tourist links between Yugoslavia and other European countries. Kontic and a group of tourist officials agreed at a meeting that this economic branch benefits from the current government policy of creating an open market and securing a convertible national currency.

* BOSNIAN CROAT TROOPS OPEN FIRE ON BRITISH HELICOPTER

B e l g r a d e, Dec. 25 (Tanjug) - Bosnian Croat forces on Sunday opened fire on a British helicopter flying over the town of Jajce, a Croat-held town in central Bosnia. AFP quoted lt. col. Barry Hawgood, Spokesman of the IFOR, as saying the helicopter was shot at while flying at a 600-metre altitude but had not been hit. Hawgood said IFOR had taken necessary steps and had strongly protested with the local command of the Bosnian Croat army about the incident.