Yugoslav Daily Survey 96-03-11

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory

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

11 March 1996

CONTENTS

[A] YUGOSLAVIA - BELARUS

[01] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT ON VISIT TO BELARUS

[B] YUGOSLAVIA - ISRAELI

[02] YUGOSLAVIA CONDEMNS TERRORIST ACTS

[C] YUGOSLAVIA - CROATIA

[03] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER MILUTINOVIC ARRIVES IN ZAGREB

[04] RELATIONS TO BE NORMALIZED STEP BY STEP

[D] E.U. - YUGOSLAVIA

[05] E.U. WANTS FULL COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA

[E] YUGOSLAVIA - BULGARIA

[06] YUGOSLAVIA BACKS CONFERENCE OF BALKAN FOREIGN MINISTERS IN SOFIA

[F] YUGOSLAVIA - BRITAIN

[07] BRITAIN SUPPORTS YUGOSLAVIA'S ECONOMIC PROGRAM AND RECOVERY

[G] REFUGEE CONFERENCE

[08] CONFERENCE PLEDGES 105 MILLION DOLLARS FOR YUGOSLAVIA

[H] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

[09] DAYTON AGREEMENT IS CORNERSTONE OF SOLID PEACE

[I] THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL - SERBS

[10] MARTIC: I AM NOT A CRIMINAL

[A] YUGOSLAVIA - BELARUS

[01] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT ON VISIT TO BELARUS

Lilic told journalists at Belgrade Airport that it was a general assessment that in the area of former Yugoslavia it was necessary to have peace, economic development and cooperation amongst nations.

In Minsk it was jointly noted that all the three until recently warring parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina had to enjoy absolutely the same treatment, said Lilic.

Assessing this visit as exceptionally successful in all respects, Lilic said that, during the stay of the Yugoslav Government and business delegation in Belarus, a high degree of conformity was achieved in the political, economic and all other domains.

Lilic said that signed in Minsk were an agreement on cooperation and friendship between the two countries and seven more agreements in the field of cooperation in transportation, agriculture and other branches of the economy. This time again, friendship has been reaffirmed and the fact that the Yugoslav and Belarus economies are complementing each other, and that both republics are undergoing a transition period, said Lilic.

[B] YUGOSLAVIA - ISRAELI

[02] YUGOSLAVIA CONDEMNS TERRORIST ACTS

"Following the recent terrorist attacks in which a great number of innocent citizens of Israel lost their lives, I extend to you, Mr. Prime Minister, the expressions of sincere condolences. We condemn most strongly the senseless terrorist acts directed against peace in the Middle East. We are convinced that these brutal terrorist acts will not halt the process of the quest for a peaceful solution of the Middle East crisis.

Please convey to the expressions of our most profound condolences to the families of the victims."

[C] YUGOSLAVIA - CROATIA

[03] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER MILUTINOVIC ARRIVES IN ZAGREB

Milutinovic's visit is a return one since Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic visited Belgrade early this year.

'I expect this visit to have positive results,' Milutinovic said on his arrival at Zagreb Airport.

[04] RELATIONS TO BE NORMALIZED STEP BY STEP

Knezevic said in an interview to Radio Kragujevac (town in Central Serbia) on the eve of Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic's visit to Croatia that many steps had yet to be taken until full normalization.

Tensions between Yugoslavia and Croatia have abated thanks to both countries' efforts, Knezevic said, adding he personally wished the situation was even better.

However, even the present situation is favorable for talks and reaching agreements in a calm atmosphere, in peace and far from war, and in line with the Dayton agreement that Yugoslavia is implementing to the letter, Knezevic said.

[D] E.U. - YUGOSLAVIA

[05] E.U. WANTS FULL COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA

Speaking for Tanjug on condition of anonymity, the diplomat said that even at the height of the crisis in former Yugoslavia, all E.U. states had maintained their embassies in Belgrade and diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia at the level of charges d'affaires.

The European Union wants economic cooperation with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its full incorporation in international organisations, which will depend also on its behaviour in the region, the official said.

He stressed that the European Union must not repeat past mistakes and its rapprochement with the countries in the territory of former Yugoslavia must be global in character.

[E] YUGOSLAVIA - BULGARIA

[06] YUGOSLAVIA BACKS CONFERENCE OF BALKAN FOREIGN MINISTERS

Zebic said, 'Prime Minister Videnov, with whom I met in Sofia two days ago, stressed the importance of a Balkan conference on peace and stability in the region following the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.'

[F] YUGOSLAVIA - BRITAIN

[07] BRITAIN SUPPORTS YUGOSLAVIA'S ECONOMIC PROGRAM AND RECOVERY

Britain and its business circles are ready financially to back export-oriented production and the maintenance of Yugoslavia's liquidity under certain conditions, Avramovic said in a talk with Yugoslav correspondents in London.

The basic condition is the establishment of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, Avramovic said. Talks between Yugoslavia and the IMF begin in Paris on March 27, he said.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development would consider it sufficient if only contacts with the IMF were renewed, he said. The EBRD would then provide concrete financial help to Yugoslavia's economy, even without a formal agreement, Avramovic said.

The Yugoslav Bank Governor was a guest of the London Government. He said the British hosts were most interested in Yugoslavia's economic program, its relations with the former Yugoslav republics, and possibilities for privatization. Speaking about concrete deals and talks, Avramovic mentioned a possible arrangement with British Petrol on deliveries of oil which would be paid for under very favorable conditions after six months.

[G] REFUGEE CONFERENCE

[08] CONFERENCE PLEDGES 105 MILLION DOLLARS FOR YUGOSLAVIA

The conference was attened by more than 200 representatives of 37 states and 20 international organisations.

Under a plan of operations proposed by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, the return of the about two million refugees and displaced persons should be completed by end 1997. The UNHCR estimates that the repatriation operation should cost 353 million dollars, 105 million of which should go to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Bratislava Morina, who headed Yugoslavia's delegation, said that Yugoslavia upheld a phased return of refugees on condition that it should be free and safe and that new facilities should be built and old ones rebuilt for their accommodation. The Yugoslav delegation urged that priority should be given to those who might wish to return immediately, because they were comparatively few.

Serbian Refugees Commissioner Morina said that the departure of Serbs from Sarajevo was proof that the implementation of the Dayton peace accords on Bosnia was not easy. The exodus was not prevented in spite of the presence of international insititutions and there were violations of procedure and security guarantees, including physical assaults on Serbs who were leaving and on those who remained in Sarajevo, she said.

Ljubisa Vladusic, who headed the delegation of the Republika Srpska, said that the situation in the Serb districts of Sarajevo was very difficult. Vladusic said that about 50,000 Serbs had left those districts of the city because the people had not received the additional security guarantees that they had asked for.

[H] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

[09] DAYTON AGREEMENT IS CORNERSTONE OF SOLID PEACE

Kasagic told Kragujevac Radio (Central Serbia) that the Bosnian Serb side would do nothing to put peace into jeopardy if all activities were organized in accordance with the agreement. He said that the Serb side wanted the agreement to be implemented.

He said he had made this clear in political and diplomatic contacts with international mediators, who received the assurances with satisfaction.

Kasagic said that the Bosnian Serbs had a peace-time government at present and that it functioned well.

Kasagic said that the invitation to the Bosnian Serbs to participate in last week's round-table talk on human rights in Vienna was an indication that the Republika Srpska was getting out of isolation.

He also said that the Austrian Government had offered to establish direct ties with the Republika Srpska.

[I] THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL - SERBS

[10] MARTIC: I AM NOT A CRIMINAL

Martic said that he was experiencing the Hague Tribunal's decision to issue an international warrant for his arrest as 'indicting and issuing a warrant for the entire Serb people.'

'If the Court in the Hague really were a court of justice, I would very gladly appear before it and prove that I am not a criminal but a man who has struggled for his people,' said Martic, adding that, unfortunately, 'arguments are not essential for world power wielders.'

'With a trial in the Hague, the world power wielders want to shake guilt off of themselves for the breaking of the sovereign state of Yugoslavia,' said he.

Asked whether he feared arrest, Martic said that that would be 'specific terrorism, to which one responds in a specific way' and that he was not either afraid or upset.

The Hague Tribunal for War Crimes committed in the territory of former Yugoslavia issued on Friday an international warrant for Martic's arrest under charges of being responsible for war crimes.