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Serbia Today, 96-10-14
Serbia Today
14 October 1996
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED JOHN CORNBLOOM
[02] FULL NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE EU
[03] TALKS ON ECONOMIC SUCCESSION ARE BEGINNING
[04] STRONGER INTERNATIONAL POSITION FOR FRY
[05] NEW PROSPECTIVE OF COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND LATIN AMERICA
[06] MAJOR GROWTH OF PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS
[07] THE CONFERENCE ON SERBS IN MACEDONIA HAS BEEN CONCLUDED
[08] B&H UNCONDITIONALLY RECOGNIZED THE CONTINUITY OF YUGOSLAVIA
[09] CROATS ACCUSE IZETBEGOVIC OF GENOCIDE
[10] SERIOUS CHARGES FROM TURKEY
[11] IMMINENT INDICTMENTS AGAINST CROATS AT THE HAGUE
[12] INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEES DENY THE GUARDIAN
[13] MEDIA WAR OF THE FEDERAL POLICE IN MOSTAR
[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED JOHN CORNBLOOM
In accordance with its permanent peace policy, the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia will continue to endorse with determination and give support to the
strengthening of peace, affirmation of equality among states and nations and the
promotion of cooperation between them, as well as the openness towards the
global integration processes, stressed President Milosevic during the encounter
with the head of the US team for the Balkans - Assistant State Secretary John
Cornbloom. During the talks opinions have been broadly exchanged on the most
important issues regarding the further enhancement of US/Yugoslav relations and
questions affecting the positive course of the stabilization in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and the comprehensive consolidation of the political situation in
the region.
(Politika, October 13, 1996)
[02] FULL NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE EU
Federal Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic stated in an interview for Radio
Belgrade the basic objective of the national foreign policy after the abolition
of sanctions, is to continue the normalization of the relations with the
surrounding countries - Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. "After
that we shall establish and fully normalize our relations with the European
Union and re-affirm all the previous agreements we had with them," said Mr.
Milutinovic stressing that the Dayton document will be fully respected in the
process. He also stated that our country is now determined to attract as many
foreign investors as possible thus ensuring economic development. Asked to
comment the so-called external sanctions wall, the Yugoslav Foreign Minister
remarked that this is a "fabricated idiomatic phrase" promoting a certain
political pressure, but that it has nothing to do with sanctions or an obstacle
preventing us from developing diplomatic, economic an all other forms of
relations with the world.
(Borba, October 14, 1996)
[03] TALKS ON ECONOMIC SUCCESSION ARE BEGINNING
Formal talks regarding the problem of economic succession of former
Yugoslavia are to begin today. Representatives of Sir Arthur Watts' office - in
charge of succession issues - revealed that along with the delegation of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, officials of all other former Yugoslav republics
confirmed that they will attend the meeting. After five rounds of separate
"informative talks", the agenda will include the debate on the movable and
immovable property of the former federation, intended to define the state
property, without involving political or other ancillary notions and
definitions. During the previous talks, FRY officials stressed that the actual
property in question be defined, including the way and the time it was created -
more specifically the original investors - and the specific date that should be
assumed as the threshold for the generation of the property. Yugoslav
representatives also insist that the agreements be made by consensus without
involving arbitration procedures.
(Ekspres, October 14, 1996)
[04] STRONGER INTERNATIONAL POSITION FOR FRY
The Foreign Cooperation Council of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS),
discussed the results achieved by the Yugoslav foreign policy and SPS
international cooperation and concluded that - within the framework of
unilateral violent secession and disintegration of the country, civil war and
imposed sanctions - the correct choice of strategy made by Serbia, FRY and SPS
has been confirmed. The policy pursued by FRY and SPS (the leading political
force in the country) - endorsing peace, democratic development, neighborly
relations, equality among nations and stability in the region - has led to the
recognition by international factors of the crucial role and contribution given
by FRY and President Slobodan Milosevic in particular - not only in the peaceful
settlement of the crisis and the creation of the conditions for peace and
stability in the Balkans, but as an important partner in the future as well.
With the improvement of the reputation of FRY and its leadership, the
international standing of our country has been strengthened, independence
preserved and the internal political environment consolidated. The international
concept of Yugoslavia has been altered, and its coherent foreign policy
accepted. The preserved human, economic, social, technological and cultural
potentials will enable a quicker and more stable revitalization of the country
and a better life for all the people of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia.
(Politika, October 12, 1996)
[05] NEW PROSPECTIVE OF COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND LATIN AMERICA
In the past few days, the Yugoslav state and business delegation , headed
by Federal Deputy Premier - Dr. Jovan Zebic, has had numerous encounters with
political and business figures in Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina. Latin
American media have devoted significant attention to the visit and the Yugoslav
delegation, displaying a particular acknowledgment and respect. After the talks
with the President of Venezuela - Mr. Rafael Caldera, the Yugoslav delegation
also met with the highest figures and government officials in Brazil and
Argentina, as well as with representatives of banks, chambers of trade and
entrepreneurial associations.
(Borba, October 13, 1996)
[06] MAJOR GROWTH OF PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS
"By the end of this year, a major growth of the domestic production rate
and exports is to be expected, primarily because a stable business environment
has been created, sanctions have been abolished and raw materials are being
imported more than consumer goods," said Mr. Vlajko Sojiljkovic - Chairman of
the Serbian Chamber of Industry and Trade. The constant production growth
constitutes one of the fundamental preconditions for an even more effective
operation of companies next year, said the same official stressing Serbian
Government measures designed to create an equitable business environment and
reduce the fiscal burden of the companies are gradually reducing the maneuvering
space for the "gray economy". Commenting the foreign trade deficit, Mr.
Stojiljkovic observed that a boost of the companies' activities in the last
trimester is expected, and that this will greatly reduce the imbalance. The
foreign trade deficit - planned to a certain point - involves an attenuating
fact, because most of the imports regard raw materials and not consumer goods -
stressed Mr. Stojiljkovic.
(Vecernje novosti, October 14, 1996)
[07] THE CONFERENCE ON SERBS IN MACEDONIA HAS BEEN CONCLUDED
The two-day conference on Serbs living in Macedonia organized at the
Serbian People Institute in Sremski Karlovci by the Serbian World Community has
been adjourned on Sunday. With the conclusion that the Serbs in Macedonia are an
autochthonous nation that previously lived for a long time in the mother
country, it has been stressed that a number of activities should be promoted in
legislation, economy, culture, religion, education and science to create
favorable conditions allowing Serbs to remain in Macedonia. The conference also
indicated that the constitutional position of the Serbs in Macedonia should be
defined and that they should be granted the possibility to receive an education
in their mother tongue - according to international conventions - as well as
access to the media and the freedom of cult in a church preaching in their
mother-tongue.
(Politika, October 14, 1996)
[08] B&H UNCONDITIONALLY RECOGNIZED THE CONTINUITY OF YUGOSLAVIA
Mr. Hassan Muratovic - Prime Minister of the Moslem-Croatian Federation
stated in an interview for Radio Kragujevac that the Union of Bosnia and
Herzegovina recognized completely and unconditionally the legal-state continuity
of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Mr. Muratovic also remarked that the
agreement between President Slobodan Milosevic and the Mr. Alija Izetbegovic -
President of the three-member presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, constitutes
an important step in curing neuralgic spots in the region. The Federation and
the Union will not obstruct but rather endorse the affirmation of continuity in
the relations between FRY and the IMF, the World Bank and other international
financial and political institutions - remarked Mr. Muratovic adding that "This
can only have a positive effect not only for FRY but for us as well."
(Politika, October 14, 1996)
[09] CROATS ACCUSE IZETBEGOVIC OF GENOCIDE
According to the "Hrvatska Rijec" weekly, the Committee of Expelled and
Escaped Croats from Konjic, submitted a written accusation against Moslem leader
Alija Izetbegovic and his official Safet Cibo to the International Criminal
Court for Crimes of War at the Hague. The charges include abundant evidence
accusing Izetbegovic and Cibo of crimes against humanity and breaches of the
international War Code. The Committee affirms that Izetbegovic ordered the
ethnic cleansing of the Croats in Konjic and that Cibo carried out these orders
in 1993. Before the war there were over 13,000 Croats in this town, and only
1,200 live there today.
(Vecernje novosti, October 14, 1996)
[10] SERIOUS CHARGES FROM TURKEY
The "Jumhuriet" a Istanbul leftist newspaper published a full-page article
entitled "Izetbegovic Flirting with the Islamists" stressing the fact that the
Bosnian Moslem leader has close ties with radical islamists and that he and
numerous members of his party are deeply involved in corruption. The same
newspaper affirms that the funds, collected to help the people of Bosnia, have
been used for the recent elections campaign of Izetbegovic's Democratic Action
Party (SDA). The author also reminds that in his book "Islamic Declaration"
Izetbegovic criticized the reforms in Turkey and affirmed that "Ataturk led
Turkey to the threshold of barbarity". This is the second time in the past two
years that Turkish journals are criticizing Alija Izetbegovic. At the beginning
of 1995, the highly circulated "Sabbah" accused Izetbegovic and his family
members of using aid funds for Bosnia for their private purposes.
(Ekspres, October 12, 1996)
[11] IMMINENT INDICTMENTS AGAINST CROATS AT THE HAGUE
Representatives of the Krajina "Veritas" Information Center have revealed
that top figures from the Croatian military and civilian circles will soon face
indictment before the international war crime tribunal for crimes committed
against Serbs in Krayina. A team of investigative judges from the Hague, that
investigated crimes in Eastern Slavonija committed last May during the operation
"Flash" and last August in the operation "Storm" have been given the documents
and evidence gathered by the Center. "There are no more doubts about the
indictment for Croatian crimes in Krayina will be raised. The only question is
whether Tudjman in person will have to take the stand, or will the trial involve
only figures such as the notorious Ustasha criminal Tomislav Mercep. From the
talks I had with the investigators, I have concluded that they are looking for
criminal evidence against general Bobetko, Defense Minister Susak and even
Tudjman himself, because the report filed by Canadian UN officers on the crime
in the "Medak pocket" when 100 Serbs were massacred, indicates that the
operation was planned by the highest Croatian authorities," says Mr. Savo Strbac
head of the "Veritas" Center.
(Vecernje novosti, October 14, 1996)
[12] INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEES DENY THE GUARDIAN
On August 25, the influential London newspaper "The Guardian" published an
article entitled "Murdered Victims are Returning from the Dead". This
fabrication authored by one Ed Valiemi affirmed that 4.300 missing male Moslems
from Srebrenica are now on forced labor in the Trepca mines in Kosovo and
Metohija. The UN Committee for Humanitarian Rights and a Red Cross Committee
visited the Trepca mining company and monitored for a number of days all 12
shafts in the "Stari Trg" mine, reaching the conclusion that the text published
by the Guardian is nothing but a lie. A delegation of the Albanian Human Rights
Committee accompanied the two international delegations in the inspection of the
Trepca mining company. It affirmed with determination afterwards that such
affirmations are sheer fabrications and lies.
(Politika, October 14, 1996)
[13] MEDIA WAR OF THE FEDERAL POLICE IN MOSTAR
Moslem Radio Sarajevo reports that the Moslem Police from the eastern part
of Mostar, released a statement yesterday accusing the Croatian colleagues in
the western part of the town of using insinuations and lies to create conflicts
and maintain inter-ethnic tension in Mostar. The Croatian Police continues to
use local Croatian media to corroborate the thesis that life in common between
Moslems and Croats and the unification of the municipal institutions is
absolutely impossible. For example, information about an attack against an
elementary schools was launched, even though the building has been damaged at
the beginning of the war and hasn't been used since. The media war between
Moslem and Croatian Police started immediately after the failure of the
negotiations on the creation of federal, joint police forces in Mostar, which
were supposed to replace the WEU police whose mandate expires today.
(Politika, October 14, 1996)
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