Serbia Today 96-01-23

Serbia Today Directory

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

Serbia Today

23 January 1996

In This Edition

PRIME MINISTER MARJANOVIC MET WITH CHECK BUSINESSMEN AND BANKERS

IZETBEGOVIC'S LETTER TO CHRISTOPHER

JASENOVAC MUST NOT BE FORGIVEN NOR FORSAKEN

CONTENTS

[01] ALL THREE SIDES MUST RELEASE ALL PRISONERS IMMEDIATELY

[02] NO EXCUSE FOR NOT RELEASING SERBIAN PRISONERS

[03] BALKAN NATIONS SHOULD SETTLE OPEN ISSUES BY THEMSELVES

[04] PRIME MINISTER MARJANOVIC MET WITH CHECK BUSINESSMEN AND BANKERS

[05] SAMSUNG DELEGATION AT THE SERBIAN CHAMBER OF ECONOMY

[06] IZETBEGOVIC'S LETTER TO CHRISTOPHER

[07] JASENOVAC MUST NOT BE FORGIVEN NOR FORSAKEN

[01] ALL THREE SIDES MUST RELEASE ALL PRISONERS IMMEDIATELY

Mr. Shattuck informed President Milosevic about the objectives of his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the talks, both sides expressed the belief that the successful implementation of the peace agreement on Bosnia will allow all citizens to protect their inalienable rights, and that peace will primarily provide the necessary conditions for a prosperous future and general progress.

Commenting the problem of war prisoners, Mr. Milosevic said that all sides must release all prisoners immediately. No one should discuss the exchange of prisoners because the war is over. They assumed the commitment to release all of them. Consequently they should do it now and without additional conditions since this will enhance the confidence building process.

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic also assisted to the talks. (TANJUG, January 22, 1996.)

[02] NO EXCUSE FOR NOT RELEASING SERBIAN PRISONERS

[03] BALKAN NATIONS SHOULD SETTLE OPEN ISSUES BY THEMSELVES

During a lengthy conversation the members of this reputable international delegation showed interest for the current affairs in the Balkans, especially for the present peace strengthening process and that normalisation of relations among Balkan nations.

In the talks between President Milosevic and the delegation of the Aspen Institute, it has been remarked that the coherent position of FR Yugoslavia has been stressed - namely that the responsibility for the future and the settlement of all open issues in the mutual relations should be primarily faced by the Balkan nations themselves, because past experience has shown that due to entwined and often contradictory interests - as well as due to foreign aspirations - all previous efforts to define such relations by imposing unilateral solutions regularly turned into serious sources of instability and conflicts in the region. Consequently, peace, development, enhancement of equitable co-operation and linking of Balkan states and nations, in accordance with their own interests, constitute the best basis for strengthening stability in the region and removing the sources of confrontation. (Politika, January 23, 1996.)

[04] PRIME MINISTER MARJANOVIC MET WITH CHECK BUSINESSMEN AND BANKERS

Mr. Marjanovic stressed that by creating a favourable business environment and promoting concrete measures, the state bodies endorse the co-operation between domestic industry and foreign partners. He also stressed that the readiness of the Czech industrial giant to partake financially and accept barter contracts in the business arrangements with Yugoslav partners, which are to be maximally involved in joint projects as subcontractors,- constitutes a major comparative advantage in choosing foreign partners for all business projects that have bearing on the development of the Serbian economy.

The Serbian Prime Minister also met yesterday with the Italian Charge d'Affaires in Belgrade - Mr. Francesco Bascone. During the encounter both sides expressed hope that Serbia and Yugoslavia will imminently reach the previous level of foreign trade with Italy, which was one of the biggest western partners for Yugoslavia several years ago. (Politika Ekspres, January 23, 1996.)

[05] SAMSUNG DELEGATION AT THE SERBIAN CHAMBER OF ECONOMY

[06] IZETBEGOVIC'S LETTER TO CHRISTOPHER

In his letter to Mr. Christopher - Izetbegovic discusses an "alliance between FR Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina". He also promised to abolish all prison camps and release all prisoners, allow the activities of international organisations and their supervision of all humanitarian issues - i.e. access to all prisoners. The document further stresses that full diplomatic relations are to be established between Yugoslavia and Bosnia. Two stands suggested by the letter are particularly interesting: Bosnia is to gradually establish a customs union with Yugoslavia, but also a common army! Practically, the letter makes it more than obvious that Izetbegovic intends to turn his back to Zagreb, and is seeking ways of alliance and possibly even integration with FR Yugoslavia!

The text also indicates that at the beginning of February, Warren Christopher will visit Belgrade, Sarajevo and Zagreb to feel the political pulse of all three sides after the Moslem anticipation of a reorientation towards Belgrade. This issue was also discussed during the recent visit President Clinton made to Tuzla and Zagreb. (TANJUG, January 23, 1996.)

[07] JASENOVAC MUST NOT BE FORGIVEN NOR FORSAKEN

The same newspaper remarks that in their letters to the Croatian President, the Jews reminded him that the Jasenovac concentration camp was the biggest extermination camp for Croatian Jews, Serbs and Gypsies that the Ustashi regime wanted to eliminate completely - thus making this area the site of genocide against primarily non-Croatian population.

The article stresses that the announced transformation of the memorial zone will give it a completely different meaning, hiding and mitigating historical facts on Ustashi genocide and neutralising the symbolic importance and civilizational message of the Jasenovac camp.

"Our Jewish oath of sympathy for holocaust victims forbids us to forgive in the name of the victims." Consequently, "...it is unthinkable that the remains of those that caused the sufferance and martyrdom of the Jews be buried along with the bones of their Jewish victims - and this is what the new concept of the memorial zone might do." - stresses the letter circulated by the Co-ordination of Jewish Communities in Croatia.

"Just like Auschwitz represents a memorial dedicated to the victims of Nazi genocide - so should Jasenovac be preserved as an omen and in memory of the victims of Ustashi terrorism and genocide." - concludes "Feral Tribune". (Vecernje Novosti, January 23, 1996.)