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BosNet NEWS - April 28-30, 96From: Nermin Zukic <n6zukic@sms.ivey.uwo.ca>Bosnia-Herzegovina News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] SERBS KILLED THREE BOSNIAKS[02] WILLIAMS: GHALI, AKASHI, ROSE ARE TO BLAME FOR 17 MONTHS OF WAR[03] RUSSIAN DECORATION TO R. KARADDIc[04] THREE MEN FROM SREBRENICA ARRESTED IN SERBIA[05] RICHARD HOLBROOKE ON FUTURE OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA[06] ICTY BROUGHT CHARGES AGAINST FRY TO UN SECURITY COUNCIL[07] SERBIA'S COURT SENTENCED THREE SERBS FOR MURDER AND CHAUVINISM[08] LUCIANO PAVAROTTI WILL SING FOR BOSNIA AGAIN[09] CROATIAN PARTIES IN BH ELECTIONS[10] POPE ON THE RECONCILIATION IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA[11] B-H CROATS TRUST MORE TO USA & GERMANY THAN TO CROATIA[12] INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE: BOSNIA ACCUSES SERBIA[13] "THE ISLAND OF SERBIA" - RUSSIAN VIEW OF "SERB STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM[14] BELGRADE STILL REFUSES AGREEMENT ON SUCCESSION[15] MONTENEGRO EXCLUDED "GALEB" FROM SUCCESSION[01] SERBS KILLED THREE BOSNIAKSSarajevo, April 30, 1996 (Press TWRA)Serb extremists killed yesterday three and injured many Bosniaque nationalities, while they were trying to visit their homes and cemeteries in different parts of Bosnia- Herzegovina. Two men were killed by infantry weapons when a group of some 300 persons tried to return to their homes in the village of Sjenina, municipality of Gracanica, Northern Bosnia. One elder woman was killed when a group of some 500 Bosniaks wanted to visit their homes in a part of the Trnovo municipality, making part of the Serbian entity. These people were attacked by Serbs some 20 kilometers Southeastern of Sarajevo, who were using stones and hoes. During this attack upon a column composed of six buses and several private cars, three more persons were severely and 15 more easily wounded. After all these incidents, survived civilians organized demonstrations in front of the Office of Carl Bildt in Sarajevo, protesting for being deprived of protection needed for a safe visit to their homes. London - "The Guardian" says: "This is a continuation of the war by peaceful means. Opposing armies have really returned to their barracks, but first being replaced by groups of civilians on their former positions. The aim of the war remained the same: " maintenance of the undivided country or a division according to ethnical criteria." Julian Borger remarks in the same magazine: " If Serb civilians succeed to prevent a return of Croats and Muslims, the previous demarcation lines will be strengthened. Ethnical division will be completed, so the Pale separatists will be winners. IFOR units, in order to omit the conflicts with Serbs, help them even against their will. When Serbs are opposed to the return of refugees, IFOR stop them on the control points." In the statement for "The Guardian", British IFOR Officer said: "If my soldiers would be forced to use arms in order to separate the warring parties, they would shoot to kill." The "Times" says: "The operation 'wild people' is directed by Serbian leadership, aiming to prevent the reintegration of BH. It was noticed that Serb policemen incited a crowd armed by hoes and several Serb policemen acted as monitors, claiming they "can not do anything". (end) A.S. [02] WILLIAMS: GHALI, AKASHI, ROSE ARE TO BLAME FOR 17 MONTHS OF WARLondon, Apr 28, 1996 (Press TWRA)British diplomat, UN ex- spokesman to Zagreb, sir Michael Williams told "The Guardian" the war in B-H could have ended 17 months earlier, had not the UN secretary general Ghali and his special envoy Akashi prevented NATO from bombing Serb positions in BH. Williams also blames British gen. sir M. Rose of diminishing the dangers of Serb assaults, and the leading forces of the West - USA, France and Britain for not intervening when it was necessary but undertaking a spectacular IFOR deployment instead, when it was too late. Already seriously ill and aware of his soon death, German diplomat M. Woerner, who died taking the post of the NATO secr. general, was ready to start massive strikes against Serb military positions in Bosnia 2 years ago - March and April 1994. That spring M. Woerner had the only one key to open the lock of such action, while the other one was in B.B. Ghali's and his envoy Akashi.'s hand. NATO bombers in Aviano were ready when Woerner was discharged from hospital and following an urgent NATO meeting told the journalists: "The time of words has gone, now, it is the time to act." Yet, he did not live to see that action, as Ghali and Akashi in cooperation with Belgrade undertook a diplomatic counter- attack, says Williams, describing that spring's events. KaradWi5 and Mladi5's Serbs permanently violated the "safe zone" resolutions intensifying the attack on GoraWde. Although his associates did not advise him to, Akashi decided on Apr 23, 1994 to go to Belgrade and continue the talks with Serbs. The meeting with Milo\evi5, KaradWi5 and Mladi5 took 18 hours. The UN team received Ghali's message to give Serbs the deadline by 11 o'clock. "As always, Serbs agreed on safe zones five minutes to 11, while the UN commander, French gen. Bernard de Lapresle, toasted "peace" with a glass of hljivovica," says Williams. M.Woerner landed on Apr 24 1994 in Zagreb, and after him Akashi from Belgrade and instead of the agreement on intervention, he said the military action was ruled out. Temporarily, Serbs stopped attacks on Gorazde redirecting the offensive to Biha5. "M. Woerner wanted to do the right thing. If it had happened, the result would have been the same as 17 months later when the action was finally taken. Imagine, how long were those months for Bosnia, Biha5, Srebrenica... UN high officials were permanent brake to resolute actions, yielding Serbs endlessly. The whole peace-keeping forces concept was wrongly put: leading powers were in favour of establishing "safe havens", but France, USA and Britain were those who refused to send the troops there. 34,000 soldiers were missing for protection of the residents from the attacks and planned starvation, and at the moment, there are 60,000 troops there to impose peace & separate the people who want to be separated. I expect the firemen to arrive while the fire is burning," says Williams. UN Cmdr. Michael Rose fitted in the strategy of refusal, says Willams alleging the examples. Rose constantly diminished the danger of Serb offensives claiming Serbs had brought the "guns from WW II" around GoraWde. When the US representative Charles Redman complained to Rose for permitting a Serb unit to stay in the Gorazde safe haven, Rose replied:" It is unimportant as Serbs are high on the top of the hill and cannot get down." (end) A.S. [03] RUSSIAN DECORATION TO R. KARADDIcMoscow, Apr 29, 1996 (Press TWRA)R. KaradWi5 is decorated with St. Andrew Order, one of the greatest Russian decorations, "for his achievements as a statesman", reports AFP referring to Serb news agency SRNA. Republic of Srpska foreign minister A. Buha received the decoration (the Dayton accords prevent Bosnian entities, including the Serb one, from maintaining international relations but Serbs and Russians ignore it so far), who expressed his regret due to KaradWic's absence, "who must not leave Republic of Srpska due to the international forces' whims". (end) A.S. [04] THREE MEN FROM SREBRENICA ARRESTED IN SERBIABelgrade, Apr 29, 1996 (Press TWRA)Three Bosniaks from Srebrenica were hiding for nine months before reaching Serbia where they found out the war had ended, the Belgrade media reported yesterday. Zurijet Mehi5, 25, Idriz Huseinovi5, 24, and Bahrudin Vuji5 reached Serbia across Mt.Tara. Serb police arrested them in UWice, Friday. They fled Srebrenica in July 1995 hiding in the mountains and woods between B-H Serbia.(end) A.S. [05] RICHARD HOLBROOKE ON FUTURE OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINAMilan, New York, Apr 29, 1996 (Press TWRA)In his Manhattan office, R. Holbroooke talked with the journalist of Italian weekly "Panorama", Sandro Ottolenghi released in the May, 1 issue. The following is the excerpts from the interview: "Only the cessation of the war was signed in Dayton. If we near the participants and victims, we will realize that there is so much hatred there. memories are still fresh like the earth covering the graves.(...) All scenarios are open, even new conflicts, if in this year the started job is not finished. We are only one third of the path. Yet, there are another two options: one, is to achieve cessation of fire between both sides (Republic of Srpska and B-H Federation) or to build the iron border between them, like between two Koreas or at Cyprus; the other is more optimistic - entire implementation of civil and military agreement reached in Dayton. It is too early to say if the latter option is possible. We will see.(...) As for the possible danger of Islam in Bosnia, there are undoubtedly, extremists among the Muslims in Bosnia. Yet, I do not believe that Bosniaks, Muslims are a security problem in Europe. That leads us back to Dayton where the signatories took responsibility to establish real multi-ethnic democracy, not absolutist state. But, the danger is counted.(...) We should be honest regarding the war crimes: we knew for them from the very beginning, being aware they must stop. It is tragic, but unavoidable. Criminals exist in all wars, we cannot ignore the fact. It is now on justice to judge.(..) In case of Bosnia, Europe turned to be extremely powerless. Therefore, the USA are still in Europe as if the cold war had not been over and the USSR still exists. We remain in Europe because there are still many dangerous focuses of tension and because our political, economic and military interests are planetary. One of the crisis could arise between Italy and Slovenia, or between Moscow satellites. Those are only assumptions, but we must be ready" R.Holbrooke recently commented the article in the "The Washington Post" and other sources claiming that Clinton's administration in the past few years permitted Iran to provide the B-H army with arms. "I do not see anything problematic in our view being benevolent towards arming Bosnian Muslims from Islamic sources. Muslims were nearly suffocated, at the edge of survival and we were openly against the arms embargo imposed on them.The policy, described roughly by "The Washington Post" is 90% true. It was clear to all of us that Iran is the least welcome source of arms for Bosnia, as it brought with itself political, ideological fundamentalist roots. But, it was a significant contribution to survival and defence of Muslims. USA did not take part in it either with money or advice or staff." Later, when the critics of the US permissiveness to Iranian- Bosnian relations before Dayton assert that the main advocator of such policy was R. Holbrooke alone, he refused to comment the allegation. President of the US Committee to Protect Journalists Kathy Marton has recently set out on a tour through Croatia, B-H and FR Yugoslavia. She wants to warn the authorities in those states that they should observe freedom of media and and additionally explore the chances for activities of independent media. K.Marton is R.Holbrook's wife who married him in Budapest last year. On her meeting with president Tudjman in Zagreb where she stayed for two days, K. Marton talked with the journalists of the independent Croatian weekly "Feral Tribunal" who was induced by Tudjamn's conversation with K.Marton when he said that he needed protection from media more than the media from him. Tudjman also showed the title page of one of the issues of "Feral Tribune" with his picture being satirically edited adding that any president must not be treated in the papers in that way. K. Marton told him the only thing the US president could do about the papers or TV program if he does not like something is to stop reading or watching the program: (end) A.S: [06] ICTY BROUGHT CHARGES AGAINST FRY TO UN SECURITY COUNCILNew York, April 3O,1996 (Press TWRA)The United Nations Organization released Antonio Casseese's, (President of International Tribunal for War Crimes in Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)), letter addressed to UN Security Council, in which Cassese in the name of ICTY reports that FR Yugoslavia refuses to cooperate with the ICTY. A. Cassese reminds that ICTY was established on the Security Council's decision under 7th paragraph, and all countries are obliged to cooperate with the Tribunal. The duty of ICTY President is to warn that FRY refuses to cooperate with the Tribunal, and demand from Security Council to undertake necessary steps, writes Cassese, the judge from Firenza. Under "the necessary steps" Cassese means the reintroduction of UN sanctions against FR Yugoslavia. Cassese reminds that FRY refuses to arrest Mile Mrk\i5, Miroslav Radi5 and Veselin hljivan^anin, who are located on the territory of FRY, and under indictment for crimes committed in Vukovar, in November 1991, including the killing of 26O civilians, wounded and war prisoners. Instead of arresting him, FRY promoted one of the accused. Cassese, who was asked by ICTY to report to Security Council, cites the prosecutors statement that FRY supported and still pays the man accused for war crimes (hljivan^anin) and keeps him as a higher officer in the Army, and according to some new information he has been installed as a teacher to young officers. (end) A.S. [07] SERBIA'S COURT SENTENCED THREE SERBS FOR MURDER AND CHAUVINISMBelgrade, Apr 29, 1996 (Press TWRA)The Sremska Mitrovica Court, northwest Serbia, sentenced three Serb ex-militiamen to prison for killing Croats and encouraging chauvinism, Reuter reports. Goran Vukovic is sentenced to 10, Pavle Dra\kovi5 to 15 years. They took part in the 1991 attacks on Croatia and are sentenced for killing four Croats in the villages of Kukujevci and Sot in 1993. Milan Nikoli5 (nicknamed "general") is sentenced to three and half years of prison due to "encouraging religious and national hatred". (end) A.S. [08] LUCIANO PAVAROTTI WILL SING FOR BOSNIA AGAINVienna, Apr 28, 1996 (Press TWRA)Italian tenor Pavarotti, British pop-star Elton John and US musical star Liza Minelli will take part at the rock & classic music concert in Italian town of Modena, June 20, to the benefit of reconstruction of B-H. Along with Meat Loaf, Michael Bolton and the groups "U2", "Cranberries" and "Chiftains", L. Pavarotti participated at the last September concert in Modena. The money went to Bosnia's children. (end) A.S. [09] CROATIAN PARTIES IN BH ELECTIONSZagreb, Sarajevo, April 27, 1996 (Press TWRA)Several Croatian parties announced their sister-parties would participate, together with HDZ BH (Croatian democratic union), in BH elections this autumn. In the first BH multiparty elections (still held within Yugoslavia), majority of Croatian parties left HDZ BH to be the only party to collect Croatian votes in BH, in order to prevent further 'dissipation' of Croats whose number hardly figured 17%. However, the results of HDZ BH policy are unsatisfactory (after the putsch performed in the party, following the order from Zagreb): besides the unrecognized Herzeg-Bosnia (para-state in Southwestern Bosnia) and several enclaves in central Bosnia, Croats have become, de facto, a minority in major part and many of them were obliged to leave to their homes in Northern, Central and Northwestern Bosnia. This encouraged Ivo Kom\i5 ( who was 1990 SDP candidate = social-democrats/ex-communists) to found Croatian villagers' party BH. During his last-week visit to Sarajevo, President of Croatian HSS and former Croatian Minister, Z. Tomcic, met with representatives of BH authorities, Cardinal Vinko Pulji5 and HSS BH leadership, on which occasion he pointed out that HSS and HSS BH are two sister- parties but independent in their policy. Representatives of Croatian HSP (Party of justice) also announced their participation in many parts of the BH Federation. Croatian social-democrats (SDPH) said they see no reason nor place for their participation in the elections, for there are already Bosnian SDP and many other parties with Croatian attributes in their names. The participation of BH demo-Christians is also possible - they are close to Croatian demo-Christian party: some of them are from BH (Anto Kovacevic) or refugees from BH (Tvrtko Maracic). Jozo Rados, vice- president of HSLS (Croatian social-liberal party), coming from BH (Tomislavgrad), announced his party would also participate in the elections. HSLS President, Vlado Gotovac, explained Rados statement: " This announcement is referred to liberals in BH and not to us. We absolutely do not accept to interfere in any way in the political life of BH, in the way of either being patrons of a certain party or to suggest a preferable behaviour. Namely, we do not want to have in BH the situation similar to that of HDZ: HDZ in Zagreb decides what HDZ BH should do. We think HSLS, if it even maintains its name, must independently decide on the modalities of possible integration, ways of voting and making its programs etc. " (end) A.S. [10] POPE ON THE RECONCILIATION IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIARome, April 27, 1996 (Press TWRA)"For the participation in peace-making in the Balkans, by maintaining mutual respect and fruitful cooperation between the peoples living there, it is necessary that everyone is involved in healing the past wounds, not by simple weakening of the suffered pains but, mostly, by being on disposal to reconciliation and forgiving. This way towards reconciliation should lean on what connects and not on what separates", Pope John Paul ll said, after receiving the credential letters of FRY Ambassador, Dojcilo Maslovaric. Leader of the Catholic Church has welcomed for the first time after 17 months Banja Luka bishop Franjo Komarica. Bishop Komarica visited in Rome Vatican State Secretary, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Archbishops Tauran and Perisset as well as Francesco Monterisi, Apostolic delegate in BH. Vatican Croats -Milan Simcic, Martin Vidovic and Nikola Eterovic were also present. John Paul ll expressed his wish to visit personally BH, not only its capital - Sarajevo, but also other bishop centers: Mostar and Banja Luka. (end) A.S. [11] B-H CROATS TRUST MORE TO USA & GERMANY THAN TO CROATIABelgrade, Washington, Sarajevo, April 27, 1996 (Press TWRA)Serb daily "Ve^ernje novosti", close to the Belgrade government, published results of public opinion investigation, allegedly made in both Bosnia's entities (Republic of Srpska & BH Federation, in the areas of Sarajevo, Zenica, Tuzla, Posu\je, Vitez, Mostar, eastern Bosnia, Banjaluka) by an American informative agency from Washington, for needs of the State Department. The paper does not precise the name of the agency, nor the source through which it got the results of the search. The questionnaire includes 80 questions, regarding the peace accord, IFOR, the common life prospective in B-H. For Bosnia as a single state were 90% of Bosniaks, 63% of Croats and 14% of Serbs. Existence of Republic of Srpska was supported by 46% of Croats. Different ethnic groups in Bosnia can live together - it is opinion of 65% of Bosniaks, 38% of Croats, and 23% of Serbs. That IFOR is to be impartial is opinion of 70% of Bosniaks, while 61% of Croats are afraid of IFOR to be pro-Bosniak, and 94% of Serbs find it pro-Croat/Bosniak. Among foreign states, Bosniaks trust primarily in the USA, Germany, Iran, than in France and Croatia. Croats trust in Germany & USA, and than to Croatia, while Serbs in BH trust primarily in Serbia, than in Russia & Japan, and than in France & Britain. Some different data were written in "Ste5ak", a Croat paper from Sarajevo, which got it from Croatia's permanent mission to the UN in New York, and the data belong to the public opinion investigation, made by the United States informative agency (USIA). The USIA report says Croats are the main victims, among the communities in Bosnia, in the recent war. That allegation, disapproved by Bosniaks, was confirmed by USIA's claim that 42% of Croats, 15% of Bosniaks, 13% of Serbs, suffer psychological war trauma. Also mentioned is that out of 755 895 pre-war B-H Croats, some 340 000 of them left their homes (around 200 000 from Bosnian- held areas, 140 000 from Serb-occupied areas). After establishment of peace, the return of refugees and displaced persons is the second priority for Croats, while the third for Bosniaks, and the eight for Serbs. People should forgive hurts of the past and focus on the future - it is opinion of 29% of Croats, 22% of Bosniaks, 16% of Serbs. USIA emphasized that Croats (Catholics) were the most religious community in B-H: 50% of them visit church at least once a week, along with 7% of Serbs (Orthodox) and 17% of Bosniaks (Muslims, mosque). "That also might explain why Croats in B-H can define why is their culture superior to the others'" writes "Ste5ak". According to the same source, multiparty system, division of legislative, legal and executive authorities, freedom of public statement... are most backed by Croats (69%) and least by Serbs (41%). Two powerful parties should run the elections in BH, such stand is backed by 77% of Croats, 63% of Serbs, 49% of Bosniaks. The Federation's agreements are backed by 90% of Bosniaks and 58% of Croats, solving the problems in BH by the-three-communities-accord is acceptable for 90% of Croats, 58% of Bosniaks. The Dayton agreement is supported by 86% of Bosniaks, 74% of Croats, 70% of Serbs. "I live in a mix marriage" was statement of 30% of Serbs, 25% of Bosniaks, 18% of Croats. "Ste5ak" reminds that USIA published a similar public opinion research last year, showing the positions of Croatia's population - 22% of Croats (40% of the Polish, 38% of the French) would like to be in pure ethnic, "their own only", state. Also then, USIA informed that 48% of Croats were tolerant toward Serbs in Croatia's towns, compared with 40% of the British, tolerant to the immigrants to the United Kingdom. (end) A.S. [12] INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE: BOSNIA ACCUSES SERBIAThe Hague, Apr 28, 1996 (Press TWRA)Before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a legal branch of the UNO, with the seat in the Hague next week starts a procedure at the B-H government demand, to judge on the role of Serbia in Bosnian war and consequently, its responsibility for the committed genocide. ICJ, as the UNO highest legal body deals with the procedures between the states, and is a permanent court, unlike the International Criminal Tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia (ICTY), being established ad hoc, temporarily trying individuals as a similar tribunal for crimes committed in Rwanda two years ago. B-H started two procedures before ICJ against FR Yugoslavia, i.e. Serbia and Montenegro three years ago and won the suit, but ICJ avoided to state clearly the key issues of the suit submitted then by a legal advisor for B-H, US expert for international law, prof at the Illinois University, Francis Boyle. It was the time when the B-H government announced the suit against Britain due to its support to genocide in B-H, impeding its prevention, specially by denying Bosnia the right for self-defence being also a genocide act. Yet, the procedure at which Bosnia should also be represented by F. Boyle with support of several lawyers including M. ha5irbey has never taken place, as Sarajevo, under extreme pressure of (not only) London during the siege of many Bosnian enclaves and international humanitarian blackmail, gave up the suit. In the process starting shortly, B-H government claims the government in Belgrade gravely breached Convention on genocide. If ICJ confirms the accusations, it would be a step further towards bringing charges against Slobodan Milo\evi5 before ICTY. (end) A.S. [13] "THE ISLAND OF SERBIA" - RUSSIAN VIEW OF "SERB STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOMMoscow, Apr 28, 1996 (Press TWRA)BBC serial "Death of Yugoslavia", is followed by Russian documentary of just ended war in Croatia and B-H - "The Island of Serbia". As Russian state TV is Kremlin supervised, the presented views could be regarded as semi-official Russian views. Unlike the BBC serial in which, along with the author's concept were expressed the views of many participants in the collapse of Yugoslavia and committed genocide, Russian program put forward only one attitude - the one about Serbs being threatened, misunderstood, unconquered which, apart from the author, mainly stated by KaradWi5 and Mladi5, being paid more attention than S. Milo\evi5. Russian documentaries stress: "Serbs have for centuries gone through the agony of islamic encirclement and perfidious Catholicism but survive owing to their own resoluteness and unselfish aid of brotherly Russian people.(...) Croats, as puppets of Vatican and Hitler, killed over a million Serbs in WW II. Serbs were again exposed to genocide these years. Croats brutally destroyed Vukovar a Serb Stalingrad. After signing the cease-fire, UN Russian peace keepers arrived to separate the sides and protect Serb civilians from Croat army including the mercenaries from Germany, Turkey, Afghanistan and catholic fanatics from Ukraine.(..) The scenes of the Sarajevo massacre are examples of bestial Muslim dirtiness slaughtering their own people so that Serbia might be unfairly accused and impose severe sanctions(...) Ratko Mladi5: 'We cannot be aggressors in our state. We fought in the past alone against all and were never defeated.'(...) KaradWi5 and patriarch Pavle stress trust in Russian support. Commentator says: 'When a Serb wants to cross himself, he turns to the east knowing that the Mother Russia is there - brothers and comrades.' The white-blue-red flag is shown along with the scenes of eastern orthodox liturgy asking: 'Is this Russian flag?' and replying: 'No. it is Serb, we turned down the camera.' (end) A.S. [14] BELGRADE STILL REFUSES AGREEMENT ON SUCCESSIONLjubljana, Apr 28, 1996 (Press TWRA)The team leader of the Republic of Slovenia for succession of ex-Yugoslavia, Miran Mejak, spoke about current negotiation of the successor states about legal and economic succession of ex-Yugoslavia and likely nearing the views on the issue between Belgrade on one and Ljubljana, Skopje, Sarajevo and Zagreb on the other side. The reason for Mejak to issue a statement was recently renewed dispute on succession of ex-Yugoslavia within the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) to Brussels. "Slovenia, Croatia, B-H and Macedonia in principle agree that succession inventory of USD 90 billion should be divided in accord with the IMF formula. Those four states differ in details, what we will discuss at the Sarajevo meeting soon," says Mejak. Belgrade insists on FRY as the only successor of SFR Yugoslavia, same as Russian federation succeeds the USSR. Economically, it would mean that Montenegro and Serbia would get all the property and foreign debts of Tito's Yugoslavia. Legally, it means that Slovenia, B-H, Croatia and Macedonia secede from ex- Yugoslavia which continued to exist. So, the presence of "Yugoslav army" in Croatia and Bosnia in recent years should not be regarded as aggression but the "interim period", and Belgrade's next step would be the claim that only "peoples can succeed but not republics within former borders." Slovenia follows with great attention loss of influence of the governor of the FRY National Bank Dragoslav Avramovi5, who was more in favour of sharing the property & debts than the FRY government. Liberal economist Oskar Kova^ is announced as Serb representative instead of "hawk" Kosta Mihajlovi5. Ljubljana hopes that the acceptance of Belgrade to talk with the international creditors on taking over its part of debt increases possibility for FRY to give up a legal suit against Slovenia in London, denying the accord of Ljubljana with the international banks consortium on taking over its part of debt. Ljubljana refuses to recognize exclusive right of legal succession of the former state in return for normalizing the relations, being important for Slovenia's trade and import. "Optimistically seen, some easier issues on succession could be settled this year, if Serbia is only a bit cooperative. Otherwise, long term arbitration & dispute face us. (...) Belgrade's old concept to enforce the right for continuity trying to mix us in it, is near the failure. They now explain their people that Germany and others had recognized them. Yet, if they have continuity, then they do not need the recognition. They are now recognized as a new state. (end) A.S. [15] MONTENEGRO EXCLUDED "GALEB" FROM SUCCESSIONZagreb, Apr 28, 1991 (Press TWRA)Croatia's media warn that Montenegro sold the ship "Galeb" taking all the money although it is the ship subject to succession of ex-Yugoslavia, Ivica Nosi5 writes in today's "Vjesnik" daily. Nosi5 reminds that on the ship, J.B. Tito spent 496 days and nights, received about 90 statesmen, visited 32 states. It was built in Genova and called "Ramb 3", launched to the sea in 1938. The Germans took it over from Italians and renamed into "Kibitz" and used till 1944 for planting mines in the Adriatic sea. It was sunk near Rijeka for 4 years. Remounted in Pula, that war ship, 118 m long and 15.6 m wide, can do 18 knots per hour with two powerful diesel engines, it became Tito's sailing residence. It was armed with several machine guns and cannons, escorted with the destroyers "Biokovo" and "Triglav", in 1953, the ship took Tito to Britain where W. Churchill invited him, and was met at Gibraltar by British navy: three destroyers and three aircraft carriers and 80 war planes. "Nacional" weekly writes that "Galeb" on which Tito sailed 90, 000 nautic miles till 1979, was bought at the third auction by an American of Hungarian origin Joseph Mandol, 58 living in Paris where he runs a ship designing office, and a ship company in Tunisia. He paid DEM 3 mill. for "Galeb" which by "Nacional" will be anchored at Cote d' Azur. "Galeb" was anchored last 4 years near Tivat, the Boka bay, Montenegro. (end) A.S. |