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Serbia Today 96-01-19

Serbia Today Directory

From: ddc@nyquist.bellcore.com (D.D. Chukurov)

Serbia Today

19 January 1996

In This Edition

YUGOSLAVIA PART OF THE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

AGREEMENT ON SERBIAN SARAJEVO

WITNESSES PROTECTED


CONTENTS

[01] SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PEACE PLAN

[02] MPORTANT AND TALKS OF THE HEADS OF DIPLOMACY OF YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA

[03] YUGOSLAVIA PART OF THE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

[04] NO POSSIBILITY OF BORDER CHANGES

[05] GREEN LIGHT FOR TRUCKS AND BUSSES

[06] NO RETRIBUTION FOR SERBIAN PROPERTY

[07] AGREEMENT ON SERBIAN SARAJEVO

[08] SHORT-RANGE JUSTICE

[09] KOSHNIK - THE SITUATION IN MOSTAR

[10] TURKEY IS ARMING THE BOSNIAN ARMY

[11] MOSLEMS CAPTURED CROATIAN OFFICERS

[12] WITNESSES PROTECTED


[01] SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PEACE PLAN

Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic received Deputy US State Secretary Richard Holbrooke yesterday.

During the talks, particular attention was dedicated to the implementation of the peace operations in Bosnia and the efforts made to stabilize the political situation in the region. It has been stressed with pleasure that the activities concerning the implementation of the peace plan are proceeding with success, and that they are being supported both by FR Yugoslavia and the international community. The need to solve a certain number of civilian issues having vital importance for the general population both in the Republic of Srpska and in the Moslem-Croatian Federation - has also been underlined.

Current issues regarding further enhancement of the cooperation between FR Yugoslavia and the United States have also been given attention. (POLITIKA, January 19, 1996)

[02] MPORTANT AND TALKS OF THE HEADS OF DIPLOMACY OF YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA

According to the communique issued after the session of the Yugoslav Government, the federal Cabinet judged that the talks Federal Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic had with the Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister of Croatia - Mr. Mate Granic (on January 10, in Belgrade) were important and useful.

Particular attention has been dedicated to the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and the enhancement of the peace process. Full support has been offered to the implementation of the peace process in Bosnia and Herzegovina and both sides agreed that its coherent implementation should contribute to the stabilization of the overall situation in former Yugoslavia.

Remarking that the relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Croatia represent the key for peace in the region, the Federal Government concluded that the first visit of the Croatian Foreign Minister allows the continuation of the contacts which should lead to progress in the settlement of the open questions.

It has also been concluded that Federal Foreign Minister Milutinovic should visit Zagreb in order to continue the talks on the normalization of Yugoslav-Croatian relations. (POLITIKA, January 19, 1996)

[03] YUGOSLAVIA PART OF THE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

Yesterday, FR Yugoslavia has been offered to become member of the Foundation for the economic development of European continent regions. The Foundation should be formed soon and will represent a completely new institution within the European Council.

The offer has been made at the very beginning of the of the first international conference on the enhancement of regional economic cooperation between the European East and West. The venue has been organized by the regional chamber and the congress of the local and regional departments of the of the European Council. The conference involves representatives from 38 European Council member countries as well as some 400 representatives of the central, eastern and western European cities. (BORBA, January 19, 1996)

[04] NO POSSIBILITY OF BORDER CHANGES

Ambassador Gherd Arens - Deputy Co-Chairman of the Conference on Former Yugoslavia, stated yesterday in Pristina - during a meeting with the representatives of the local authorities, that it is not possible to alter borders and establish an "independent state" in Kosovo and Metohija, but that only some degree of autonomy can be discussed.

During the encounter with the Superintendent of the Kosovo County - Mr. Milos Nesovic and other representatives of local authorities, Ambassador Arens vowed that he will repeat this stand to the representatives of the ethnic Albanians "...that must begin to contemplate the situation realistically, which means a full acknowledgment of the sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia."

Mr. Neskovic indicated that Serbia is prepared to discuss solutions for the problems that might be troubling the ethnic Albanians. (POLITIKA, January 19, 1996)

[05] GREEN LIGHT FOR TRUCKS AND BUSSES

A protocol between Yugoslavia and Germany re-establishing truck and buss transports has been signed in Bonn yesterday. This is practically the first bilateral document giving the "green light" for unobstructed road transports according to the previous "permit regime", requiring that the Yugoslav carriers to secure such permits with the corresponding chambers of economy. Consequently, the protocol removes all obstacles for the normalization of transports between the two countries. (POLITIKA, January 19, 1996)

[06] NO RETRIBUTION FOR SERBIAN PROPERTY

Under the pressure of the international community and UN Security Council, the Croatian Parliament abolished the time limit for the submission of requests for the return of property by refugee Serbs, but it contemporarily adopted a law absolving the state from any retribution due for destroyed movable and immovable property of the Serbs.

Representatives of the ruling party submitted a motion which was approved by the Parliament according to which "...the state is absolved from any obligation to indemnify victims of violence, mining and other terrorist attacks." The relative commentary indicates (without specifying that the issue principally involves destroyed Serbian property) that Croatia would have to allocate the sum of 28 billion dollars or 10 annual state budgets. This remark clearly reveals the extent of the damage inflicted to Serbian homes and real estate by explosives or fire since the new Croatian government came to power. However, this issue was not discussed by the Croatian parliament. (POLITIKA EKSPRES, January 19, 1996)

[07] AGREEMENT ON SERBIAN SARAJEVO

Mr. Michael Steiner - Deputy High Representative for the enactment of the civilian part of the peace agreement on Bosnia, revealed that he reached an agreement with the Bosnian Serb officials in Pale concerning the cooperation with Moslem and Croatian representatives in solving the problem of Serbian Sarajevo.

Mr. Steiner talked in Pale with the Prime Minister of the republic of Srpska - Mr. Rajko Kasagic and the RS Parliament Speaker - Mr. Momcilo Krajisnik. Stressing the he comprehends the fear of the Serbs regarding the passage of parts of Serbian Sarajevo under the authority of the Moslem-Croatian Federation - due on March 30, Mr. Steiner said that the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska endorsed his idea of all interested sides taking part in the work of the Committee created specifically for the problem of Sarajevo.

Mr. Kasagic confirmed that the Serbian side agreed to take part in the joint Committee with the Moslems and Croats under IFOR sponsorship. (BORBA, January 19, 1996)

[08] SHORT-RANGE JUSTICE

Yugoslav jurists monitoring the activities of the Hague Tribunal indicate that the withdrawal of Mujahedins from Bosnia should not prevent an adequate reaction of the International Tribunal for Crimes of War in Former Yugoslavia. These same experts raised the question whether the signing of the agreement on the transfer of individuals suspected of having committed crimes of war (due today in Brussels), has been set in a way to prevent the Hague Tribunal from indicting Islamic religious fanatics that fought in Bosnia alongside with the local Moslems.

The international media publicized facts on crimes committed by the Mujahedins in Bosnia, including photographs of Islamic "holy warriors" next to the severed heads of their victims. Even though it has been indicated that these same "holy warriors" represent the principal threat for IFOR forces, the Mujahedins are leaving Bosnia anonymously, in small groups and with the protection of the Moslem Government in Sarajevo. Dr. Vladan Vasiljevic, expert in international criminal law, indicated that the Hague Tribunal should have asked the UNited Nations and the international factors to create a collective camp for Mujahedins that fought in Bosnia, so that they might be processed according to the International War Code norms and the regulations of the Tribunal itself and the criminals among them identified and placed under the custody of Judge Goldston. (BORBA, January 19, 1996)

[09] KOSHNIK - THE SITUATION IN MOSTAR

"The situation in Mostar is extremely difficult because the conflicting sides - Moslem and Croatian - are not honoring the Dayton Agreement nor the decision of the governments in Sarajevo and Zagreb concerning the implementation of the Moslem-Croatian Federation in Bosnia" stated yesterday in Brussels the European Administrator in Mostar - Mr. Hans Koshnik.

After meeting at the European Commission with the European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs in charge of former Yugoslavia issues - Mr. Hans van den Broeck, Mr. Koshnik stressed at a press conference that Mostar is extremely important as a test bench for the Moslem-Croatian Federation, but that the arrangement is not functioning for the time being. (POLITIKA EKSPRES, January 19, 1996)

[10] TURKEY IS ARMING THE BOSNIAN ARMY

Turkey plans to sign a military agreement with the Moslem Government in Sarajevo and to play a decisive role in training and equipping the Moslem Army - said Deputy Chief of Staff of the Turkish Army - General Chevik Bir. In an interview for Associated Press General Bir said that details still have to be defined, and that it has not yet been decided whether Moslem soldiers will receive training in Bosnia or Turkey. It has been announced that the first to receive training will be infantry troops.

"We already have a leading role in this mission" said the Turkish general, stressing that Turkey is a NATO member, but also a Moslem state." (VECERNJE NOVOSTI, January 19, 1996)

[11] MOSLEMS CAPTURED CROATIAN OFFICERS

Quoting a statement issued yesterday by the Defense Ministry of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg Bosnia, Croatian Radio reported that an officer and a two soldiers of the Croatian Defense Council have been taken prisoner in the zone of Mt. Usor by the Moslem Police from Tesanj. (POLITIKA EKSPRES, January 19, 1996)

[12] WITNESSES PROTECTED

"The theft of computers containing data on Krayina Serbs - which took place in the UN Human Rights Center in Zagreb, will not jeopardize the unfortunate civilians and their families that provided confidential testimonies to our activists. Even though we are still wondering whether the Croatian authorities came into possession of such data - all names were coded so that the identity of the Serbian witnesses will remain confidential."

This was stated at a press conference held yesterday in Belgrade by Mr. Chris Gannes - spokesman of the UN Peace Mission in Zagreb. Adding that the UN launched an investigation concerning the incident that greatly disturbed the personnel of the Human Rights Center, Mr. Gannes revealed the first conclusions of the investigation, namely that that the theft involved merely devices and not information. (POLITIKA EKSPRES, January 19, 1996)

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