Yugoslav Daily Survey 96-03-18

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory

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

18 March 1996

CONTENTS

[A] FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

[01] MILOSEVIC MEETS WITH CHRISTOPHER

[02] MILOSEVIC, ADMIRAL SMITH SAY PEACE ACCORDS IMPLEMENTED SUCCESSFULLY

[03] ADMIRAL SMITH SAYS MILITARY ACCORDS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AS SCHEDULE

[04] YUGOSLAV PREMIER FOR PEACE IN THE BALKANS, MUTUAL RESPECT, NON-INTERFERENCE

[05] CHINA, YUGOSLAVIA FOR STEPPING UP ECONOMIC, MILITARY COOPERATION

[06] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT PROPOSES ECONOMIC-POLICY MEASURES

[07] POLAND, YUGOSLAVIA HOLD POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS IN WARSAW

[08] ROMANIA APPOINTS NEW AMBASSADOR TO YUGOSLAVIA

[09] U.S. INFORMATION CENTRE TO CONTINUE WORK IN MONTENEGRIN CAPITAL

[10] U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE OPENS OFFICE IN BELGRADE

[B] BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

[11] KARADZIC SAYS SARAJEVO WILL TURN INTO EUROPEAN TEHRAN

[12] BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIAL CALLS FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF DAYTON ACCORDS

[13] DRAFT PREPARED FOR ADJUSTING BOSNIAN SERB CONSTITUTION TO CONSTITUTION OF FEDERATION OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

[14] SERBS DISCUSS CIVILIAN PART OF PEACE ACCORD WITH MOSLEM-CROAT FEDERATION

[15] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA OFFICIALS MEET WITH INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

[16] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE WARNS MUSLIM EXTREMISTS PLAN TERRORIST ACTS

[17] U.N. CONDEMNS MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION FOR INTIMIDATION OF SERBS

[18] U.N. SAYS BOSNIAN MUSLIM POLICE ALLOWS LOOTING IN ILIDZA

[19] UN HUMAN RIGHTS RAPPORTEUR WORRIED ABOUT EVACUATION OF SARAJEVO SERBS

[C] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[20] WASHINGTON POST: IZETBEGOVIC IS CREATING A MUSLIM STATE IN BOSNIA

[21] THERE ARE UP TO 20,000 MUJAHIDEEN IN BOSNIA, MONTHLY

[A] FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

[01] MILOSEVIC MEETS WITH CHRISTOPHER

The role of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the overall process of stabilization of the situation in the former Yugoslavia was highly estimated and an expectation voiced that efforts toward full implementation of the Dayton agreement would continue in the future.

The participants focused on some concrete issues relating to the civilian aspect of the Dayton peace agreement.

[02] MILOSEVIC, ADMIRAL SMITH SAY PEACE ACCORDS IMPLEMENTED SUCCESSFULLY

Milosevic and Smith expressed conviction that the two entities in Bosnia-Herzegovina - Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation - would continue resolving open issues through talks and in cooperation with the peace force. They said the peace force's objectiveness and professionalism were a basis for a consistent implementation of the Dayton accords.

The two sides said the peace force could significantly contribute to improving the atmosphere necessary for a stepped up implementation of the civilian accords, for which they said confidence-building measures were a significant prerequisite.

[03] ADMIRAL SMITH SAYS MILITARY ACCORDS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AS SCHEDULE

Smith said Milosevic has asked that all possibilities be explored for providing greater security for Sarajevo Serbs who had decided to remain in their homes. He said IFOR had already decided to strengthen its presence in Grbavica, and would continue to cooperate with the International Police Force.

Smith said Milosevic would urge at the Geneva meeting with Contact Group members and leaders of Croatia and Bosnian Muslims on Monday that commercial air links with Bosnia-Herzegovina be renewed. Smith said IFOR would help in this as much as possible, because it was the common position that the renewal of commercial air links with Sarajevo and Banjaluka (city in Bosnian-Serb Republika Srpska) was one of the best ways to start with Bosnia's reconstruction.

[04] YUGOSLAV PREMIER FOR PEACE IN THE BALKANS, MUTUAL RESPECT, NON-INTERFERENCE

Kontic, in an interview to the Slovenian Vecer daily of Maribor, said 'we expect Slovenia to practically confirm its declared concern about establishing and developing relations and cooperation with our country.' He pointed out that 'it is not logical that Slovenia shall strive for a normalization of relations while its representatives in international forums and institutions are simultaneously taking extreme stands towards all the questions related to the F.R.Y.'

He recalled that the F.R.Y., in the April 1992 constitutional declaration, voiced readiness for the development of good-neighbourly relations and cooperation in the region and that it reaffirmed this commitment the same year when it recognized the authorities in Ljubljana.

Kontic observed, 'Slovenia, however, has undertaken nothing to alleviate the effects of its insulting reactions to the act by which the F.R.Y. recognized it in 1992.'

Slovenia, the republic which was first to secede from the former federation in 1991, inducing a ten-day conflict with the then Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), overruled the recognition it received from the F.R.Y.

Commenting on the succession and the distribution of property of the former Yugoslavia - the only remaining dispute between Belgrade and Ljubljana - Kontic pointed out that the F.R.Y. had submitted a just proposal which satisfies the principles and criteria adopted by all the sides. The F.R.Y., he said, was also open for talks on counter-proposals if these treated equally all the legitimate interests. This is not the case with an agreement proposed by the Group for Succession of the International Conference on former Yugoslavia, and hence it is not acceptable for us, Kontic said.

Kontic called for continued endeavours towards reaching an agreement as he stressed that 'if there is good will, arbitration will not be necessary and so it should be avoided.' The f.r.y. would develop bilateral cooperation with slovenia'without prejudices' and on the basis of 'real economic and otherinterests, once the mutual state aspect is regulated.'

He observed that the F.R.Y. - Slovenia trade volume might very soon climb to an annual billion dollars.

Asked what the F.R.Y. Government would do to legalize secret-channel trade between businessmen of the two countries, Kontic said that illicit trade had not been a Yugoslav policy but a result of the international community's 3.5 years of comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against the F.R.Y. - the sanctions advocated strongly by Slovenia, too.

'The blockade of the F.R.Y. in its many aspects is still present today. In this, Slovenia is still taking the lead. For this reason, the question as to the legalization of trade should be addressed to the Slovenian rather than the Yugoslav Government,' said Kontic.

By the end of 1995, the F.R.Y. had sustained direct and indirect damage from the sanctions amounting to 50 bln and 150 bln dollars, respectively, said Kontic.

[05] CHINA, YUGOSLAVIA FOR STEPPING UP ECONOMIC, MILITARY COOPERATION

An impetus to stepping up overall cooperation between the two countries was given by Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic during his visit to Peking last December.

Bulatovic and Chi assessed that prospects for cooperation in the military field were good, given the big possibilities of the Yugoslav military economy and espite the fact that a part of the capacities have remained in the seceded republics of the former Yugoslavia.

Bulatovic informed Chi that Yugoslav experts having managed to restore the necessary level of production.

China and Yugoslavia have identical or similar views on the international situation and necessity of pursuing foreign policy on principles of peaceful coexistence, equality, mutual respect and noninterference in internal affairs of others, Bulatovic and Chi underscored.

Chi gave Yugoslavia credit for its peaceful policy, without which, it is assessed here, it would be impossible to restore peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina and preserve security and stability in the Balkans.

Chi accepted Bulatovic's invitation to visit Yugoslavia this year.

Chi informed Bulatovic about China's efforts for peaceful reunification with Taiwan on the basis of the principle 'One Country, Two Systems.'

Chi assessed that global war did not threaten the world but that regional conflicts and local wars could break out because some countries continue to pursue a policy of hegemony.

[06] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT PROPOSES ECONOMIC-POLICY MEASURES

The Government established that, despite the dinar's stable rate, the maintaining of the money supply within the planned limits, as light increase in foreign-currency reserves and a production growth, economic trends have not been as planned.

The economy's performance has been burdened this year by high price increases, a small volume of foreign trade and a shortage of working capital.

The Federal Government and the National Bank of Yugoslavia will take a wide range of practical measures conducive to a consistent implementation of the economic policy for 1996, the Government statement said.

As part of monetary, credit and foreign-currency policy measures, the primary issue will depend on the foreign-currency resevres and the money supply on the production trends in real terms.

The Government urged a further liberalization of the foreign trade and recommended less red tape in the case of exports and imports.

The Government also recommended a revision of the customs and other duties on imports of raw materials and semi-manufactures not produced at home and intended for the production of goods destined for export.

The Government is firm in its commitment to freely formed prices.

Until a federal anti-monopoly law is passed, the anti-monopoly laws of the two republics will be applied, the Federal Government statement said.

[07] POLAND, YUGOSLAVIA HOLD POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS IN WARSAW

Jovanovic and Meler agreed to step up work on the drafting of agreements on cooperation in trade, stimulation and protection of investments, avoidance of double taxation and long-term programmes of cultural, educational, scientific and technical cooperation. The agreements are expected to be coordinated and ready for signing in the near future.

The Polish side expressed willingness to uphold the reintegration of Yugoslavia in international organisations and forums, specifically the U.N. and the OSCE. The Polish side expressed support also for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to resume its place in the Central European Initiative.

The two Ministries' officials upheld a complete and consistent implementation of the Dayton peace accord for Bosnia, and of the basic agreement for the Srem-Barania Region - the only remaining sector of the Republic of Serb Krajina that Croatia has not overrun. The importance was stressed of an equal treatment of all Bosnian parties in the process of implementing the peace accord and rebuilding Bosnia-Herzegovina.

[08] ROMANIA APPOINTS NEW AMBASSADOR TO YUGOSLAVIA

[09] U.S. INFORMATION CENTRE TO CONTINUE WORK IN MONTENEGRIN CAPITAL

The decision came after the Montenegrin Government repeatedly urged with the U.S. Department of State that the Centre be preserved through the efforts of both Governments, the Montenegrin Information Secretariat said in a statement.

The new Centre will supply all interested persons with literature and various information available through the most sophisticated technological systems. The Centre will also assist in organizing study trips and university exchanges and give advice and information to all proffesionals interested in the U.S., the statement said.

[10] U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE OPENS OFFICE IN BELGRADE

The opening of the U.N. Human Rights Office in Belgrade is a further step in the cooperation between Yugoslav authorities and the U.N. Human Rights Committee. The Office will help the U.N. Committee's work on monitoring respect for human rights in the former Yugoslavia.

[B] BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

[11] KARADZIC SAYS SARAJEVO WILL TURN INTO EUROPEAN TEHRAN

Karadzic said the Dayton peace had not been undermined by the exodus of Serbs from Sarajevo but by the unsettled relations between Muslims and Croats in their Federation. Republika Srpska urges the international community to help Muslims and Croats organize their Federation or peacefully part company, since the Serb entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina will not participate in a possible war between the two partners, Karadzic said.

The Bosnian Serb President said all three peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina obviously wanted to preserve their identity and sovereignty. He proposed that the former Yugoslav Republic be organized on the model of Scandinavia or that its entities peacefully separate as did the Czech and Slovak republics.

[12] BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIAL CALLS FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF DAYTON ACCORDS

Republika Srpska official singled out the problem of Sarajevo, where he said Serbs were harassed and maltreated when Serb municipalities were turned over to the Muslim-Croat Federation in keeping with the Dayton accords.

[13] DRAFT PREPARED FOR ADJUSTING BOSNIAN SERB CONSTITUTION TO CONSTITUTION OF FEDERATION OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

Parliament Speaker Momcilo Krajisnik, who chaired the session of the Constitutional Commission, said that reality had been accepted and corrections made which cannot significantly jeopardize the identity of the Republika Srpska.

[14] SERBS DISCUSS CIVILIAN PART OF PEACE ACCORD WITH MOSLEM-CROAT FEDERATION

[15] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA OFFICIALS MEET WITH INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

After the meeting, the Bosnian Serb Parliament Speaker said that he had talked with Bildt about the release of persons arrested before and after the signing of the Dayton accord, in November 1995, the need of protecting the Serbs remaining in Sarajevo and their property and the problem of taking care of Sarajevo Serb refugees.

Krajisnik said he had pointed to the need of equal treatment being reserved to Republika Srpska and the Moslem-Croat Federation, the two entities in the Bosnia-Herzegovina union, and of Serb representatives taking part in all future talks.

Bildt told reporters after the talks that he had briefed Krajisnik with the issues on the agenda of the upcoming meetings to be held on Monday in Geneva and on Saturday in Moscow. Bildt also said that he had talked about the northern Bosnian town of Brcko with the Republika Srpska representatives emphasizing that it was a comlicated issue which should start being resolved as soon as possible.

[16] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE WARNS MUSLIM EXTREMISTS PLAN TERRORIST ACTS

The operations should target chiefly members of international forces and organisations, vital facilities and companies and certain officials of the Republika Srpska in the areas the towns of Doboj, Petrovo, Modrica, Samac, Brod and Derventa. The Ministry has information that the terrorists are planning to bring in large quantities of poisons and explosive devices in various shapes and forms, mostly as children's toys.

The Ministry said that the ultimately aim of the terrorist actions should be to create the impression that the Republika Srpska could not organise an efficacious government or guarantee human rights and freedoms and should therefore not exist autonomously.

[17] U.N. CONDEMNS MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION FOR INTIMIDATION OF SERBS

'The Serbs who...decided to stay are now planning to leave the area, feeling betrayed by the international community and threatened by the (Muslim-Croat) Federation Government,' Ivanko said.

[18] U.N. SAYS BOSNIAN MUSLIM POLICE ALLOWS LOOTING IN ILIDZA

The Federation police do not show the least interest in investigating reports of harassment and are completely uninterested in maintaining peace and order in Ilidza, news agencies quoted Ivanko as saying at a press conference in Sarajevo. 'Two Federation policemen were seen laughing and encouraging Muslims when they were verbally insulting Serbs and trying to force them to leave their houses,' Ivanko said.

He expressed doubt that the Muslim-Croat authorities were really working to preserve Bosnia as a multi-ethnic community as they claim. 'I think the facts are pretty much clear,' he said. 'Whenever we go to the Bosnian (Muslim) Government or the Federation authorities and complain, nothing is done.'

Ivanko said that most of the estimated 10,000 Serbs who had stayed in the parts of Sarajevo turned over to the Muslim-Croat Federation now wanted to leave. 'All of them want to leave. Nobody wants to stay. If this pattern continues, Sarajevo will probably cease being a multi-ethnic city,' Ivanko said.

[19] UN HUMAN RIGHTS RAPPORTEUR WORRIED ABOUT EVACUATION OF SARAJEVO SERBS

Serbs were not given protection needed for a safe stay in Sarajevo, she said and added that Serbs had partly been pray to propaganda, which encouraged them to leave the city. Rehn said that her team had met a group of Serbs - doctors, nurses and dentists - who wished to stay but were not convinced that new authorities would protect them.

Rehn said that she had called on international community's High Representative for Bosnia Carl Bildt, who is in charge of the civilian aspect of the Dayton agreement, to protect the property of Serbs who left the city in case they decided to return.

She said that many Serbs had told her they wished to return home.

[C] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[20] WASHINGTON POST: IZETBEGOVIC IS CREATING A MUSLIM STATE IN BOSNIA

The paper said that multiethnic Sarajevo survived during the war but would not survive peace, illustrating this by statements of Muslim Sarajevo inhabitants that 'the Muslim leadership wants its state in Bosnia'.

It said that only Muslims are left in Sarajevo, the former multinational bastion, adding that it is the result of a planned policy of the Muslim authorities. A senior western diplomat calls the 'Muslim garden' in bosnia 'Bosniakistan', the Washignton Post said. The same diplomat expressed his belief however, that the idea about the creation of a Muslim state in Bosnia would never succeed but could provoke a crisis and instability which can last for years.

[21] THERE ARE UP TO 20,000 MUJAHIDEEN IN BOSNIA, MONTHLY

An Iranian official stated in the monthly that Tehran had sent both men and arms to Bosnia-Herzegovina at the beginning of the civil war.

The U.S. Administration, which has been compromised by the support extended to Izetbegovic, cannot openly admit these facts and persists in claiming there are some 400 Mujahedeen in Bosnia, the monthly said. This is also the reason why the U.S. Administration is blocking the Hague War Crimes Tribunal from indicting someone on the Muslim side, said Strategic Policy.

Mujahideen presence is in flagrant violation of the U.S.-brokered Dayton accords under which all foreigners were supposed to leave Bosnia by January 19, said te monthly.