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Serbia Today, 97-01-15Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia TodayCONTENTS
[01] READINESS TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE AND CONTACTSFederal Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic received Mr. Piero Fasino - Under Secretary of the Italian Foreign Office, who is heading the Italian delegation currently visiting Belgrade. During the open and comprehensive talks, current issues regarding the further evolution of friendly relations and cooperation between Yugoslavia and Italy, and the situation in the region have been discussed. Once again both sides affirmed their readiness to continue the contacts and the political dialogue on all levels. The Italian side reaffirmed its support for a quick and complete reintegration of FR Yugoslavia into the OSCE and other international organizations.Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Politika, 1997-01-15[02] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT: "WHICH OPTIONS ARE BEING OFFERED FOR BRCKO"The de-stabilization of Brcko jeopardizes the Republic of Srpska in the form it has been granted by the Dayton Peace Agreement. The military and political pressure exerted on Brcko by the Bosnian Federation and NATO, globally threatens the strategic interests of Serbia and Yugoslavia, that signed an agreement on special ties with the Republic of Srpska. The Rome arbitration that is to define the status of Brcko today, is a combination of diplomatic pressure of the Bosnian Federation on the US and the EU to have Brcko treated as a interest zone for all three ethnic communities, i.e. for both entities.The Republic of Srpska already sacrificed several towns and counties - reducing its territory - only to acquire full control over the town of Brcko. However, Alija Izetbegovic recently stated that "Brcko is a Bosnian town." Croatian representatives have also been publicly saying that they too have concession rights for Brcko and that - according to estimates made by Croatian experts - the Republic of Srpska would be reduced by 10 to 20 percent should it loose the control over this town in North-eastern Bosnia. The stand assumed by the RS politicians and military clearly defines that Brcko is Serbian territory that has been acquired in Dayton and that it represents the "backbone" for the survival of the Republic of Srpska. As far as US and NATO interests are concerned, Brcko represents an important transit point for communications of NATO bases in Hungary across the present UNTAES region (Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The US maintains the stability of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina through Brcko because it serves to prevent Croatia from assuming total control of the river Sava valley. Should the Croatian side realize its state-territorial interests regarding Brcko, conflicts will inevitably arise and even war might follow. First of all, this would radicalize the conflict between the Moslems and Croats, and in view of the explosive situation in Mostar, this would objectively rekindle the war. This would actually jeopardize US and NATO objectives and even deteriorate the situation in the region. On the other hand, should Brcko become a neuralgic spot, a military and political offensive of the Bosnian Federation against the Republic of Srpska is possible, and this would inevitably draw Croatia into the conflict, and then even FR Yugoslavia, because it could not remain passive when its own interests are threatened. NATO involvement in the arbitration and denial of legitimacy of RS control over Brcko practically breaches the rights RS acquired with the Dayton Agreement, as an fully pledged entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The introduction of a UN or NATO protectorate in order to avoid a military or political crisis entails the reduction of RS sovereignty. This would allow the application of the same model for Sarajevo or Mostar. And all this would generate a formula of NATO occupation zones in Bosnia, similar to the one used for Berlin and Germany in 1945. A rational political decision regarding Brcko would be to grant RS the sovereignty over the town and to introduce a special duty-free zone as part of the future corridor. The duty free zone would promote free trade and foreign investments. On the other hand, the division of Brcko would entail ethnic cleansing and renew the war. This is why Brcko represents the beachhead of not only Serbian and Yugoslav interests, but also of the Serbs living in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem that might be forced this autumn to move to the Republic of Srpska due to inadequate solutions for Croatian and UNTAES administration of the region. Controversies on Brcko bear a serious threat to re-ignite the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Ekspres Politika, 1997-01-15[03] HUNGER THREATENS HERZEGOVINARed Cross warehouses in Serbian Herzegovina - devastated and depopulated by the recent war - are completely empty. In the past two months humanitarian organizations sent no aid at all, and local humanitarian workers were forced to stop until further notice the distribution of food for some 73.000 needy persons. "We lack even the basic articles for survival, not an ounce of flour. We fear what will happen in the coming months. Should this situation continue, the very existence of some 35.000 refugees and 38.000 needy locals living exclusively on humanitarian aid will be threatened," said Mr. Brano Dursun, Secretary of the Regional Red Cross Committee in Eastern Herzegovina. Stressing that even though the war has been ended, factories can not start production overnight, Mr. Dursun remarked that humanitarian problems have become more acute. Lately, the only supplier of aid for Eastern Herzegovina was the World Food Program, but this source seems to have run dry. In fact the World Program announced a shipment of merely 17 tons of beans, whilst Gorazde (with a population of only 30.000) is to receive 26 tons, and the town of Bihac 72 tons. The people of Serbian Herzegovina addressed an appeal for aid to all humanitarian organizations and Serbian clubs and societies abroad.Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-01-15[04] ZUBAK: ALIJA DID NOT RENOUNCE TO THE IDEA OF ISLAMIC BOSNIAMr. Kresimir Zubak - representative of the Bosnian Croats in the three member Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina - stated that Moslem leader Alija Izetbegovic never gave up the political goals he listed in his pre- war pamphlet "Islamic Declaration", and that this booklet embodies the program for the creation of an Islamic Bosnia. "Izetbegovic's Democratic Action Party is not only a national party, but also a national movement determined to establish an Islamic state in Bosnia and Herzegovina", said Mr. Zubak in an interview published by the Zagreb daily "Vjesnik". "This is not a Croatian or Serbian view used to frighten the people, this is really so." - stressed Mr. Zubak reminding that the "Islamic Declaration" clearly states that "the introduction of a government based on Islamic principles is a long-term objective which is to be realized gradually".Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Politika, 1997-01-15[05] ALBANIAN TERRORISTS AGAINST THEIR CO-NATIONALSSumar Fazli Hasani (from the village of Brabonici in Kosovo and Metohija) has been killed on January 13th by a terrorist organization that calls itself "Kosovo Liberation Army". Mr. Hasani was a honest and respected person in his village, renown because of his pro-Yugoslav orientation. This is exactly why he was blacklisted by the "Kosovo Liberation Army" that threatens to assassinate all those that do not embrace the separatist ideology. The terrorist organization sent a statement to various newspapers, and it has also been quoted by the "Buyku" daily published in Albanian. In the communiqu the same terrorist organization assumes the responsibility for the recent assassinations of Malici Seholi and Faik Belopoju. The organization "headquarters" that issued the statement , anticipated new liquidations that will primarily involve their co-nationals - ethnic Albanians.Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-01-15[06] PTT PTT "SRBIJA" AND "SIEMENS / VF-TEL" CONTRACT SIGNEDYesterday, PTT "Srbija" (Serbian Post) and the "Siemens-VF-TEL" company signed a contract worth 73 million German marks for the purchase of digital telephone exchanges, that will provide 150000 new lines this year and as many in 1998. The contract also specifies the delivery of a digital telephone network worth 6.830.000 marks. "The present situation in Serbia is no obstacle for the realization of these arrangements", stressed Mr. Lothar Pleve, "Siemens" Director for Europe. He also added that the company objective is to establish a long term cooperation with PTT "Srbija". Anticipating the signing of a new contract with "Alcatel" concerning the delivery of 300.000 new telephone lines, Mr. Milorad Jaksic - the General Manager of the Serbian Post - reaffirmed that the company objective is to use the cooperation with foreign firms to employ and modernize the domestic industrial sector.Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Borba, 1997-01-15[07] INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS - MAJOR POSSIBILITIES FOR THE NATIONAL ECONOMYThe Serbian Government Coordinating Team for machinery and electric- machinery sector, defined yesterday the primary operational tasks and draft measures for the effective implementation of the 1997 economic policy goals. It has been remarked that the machinery electric-machinery sectors have already played an important role in Serbian development and exports, and that they will continue to represent a cornerstone of national development because numerous preconditions are fulfilled: highly skilled professionals, trained workers and modern production facilities. This is in fact the industrial sector with the most up-to-date technology and with the largest production potentials. Once a stable economic environment is ensured, this sector has a real chance for the most dynamic production and export growth, at a far greater rate than that forecast for the overall economy. It is also encouraging for this sector that major investment projects regarding the road network have already been defined and initiated; other large investment projects in other infrastructure areas: electric power production and railroads, will also give a strong momentum to the revitalization and growth of this industrial sector.Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Politika, 1997-01-15[08] PRODUCTION OF STEEL - PRE-WAR LEVELLast year, the Yugoslav steel industry reached the production level it had before the introduction of international sanctions - said Mr. Arsenije Jovanovic -Director of the Yugoslav Steel Association. The furnaces smelters were non-operational during the embargo, and they were reactivated four months after the suspension of the sanctions. Last year, the indicators for the entire sector were better than the 1991 figures - the year before the embargo. For example, in 1991 525.500 tons of pig iron was produced, and this year - 568.500 tons. According to Mr. Jovanovic, 60 per cent of the production was exported last, which represents a major success bearing the global competition and the local limitations.Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Politika, 1997-01-15[09] THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RETURN OF YUGOSLAVIA INTO THE WTOThe Federal Government Committee for the Relations Between Yugoslavia and the Council for the Implementation of Peace and international financial and trade organizations, discussed the issues regarding the settlement of the membership status of FRY in the World Trade Organization. It has been observed that the draft memorandum on the foreign trade regime for FRY, represents a good basis for the final version of the document which is to be submitted to the WTO in order to initiate the procedure for the admission of our country into this organization. The Committee agreed that FR Yugoslavia should request a developing country status within the WTO framework.Serbia Today, 1997-01-15 ; Borba, 1997-01-15Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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