Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-03-12

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] RS PRIME MINISTER ON COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA IN ALL FIELDS

[02] BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER CRITICISES WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

[03] WORLD ENVOY BILDT SEEKS MORE POLICE FOR DISPUTED BOSNIAN TOWN BRCKO

[04] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA PREPARING TO RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH YUGOSLAVIA

[05] SERBIAN MINISTER RECEIVES CZECH AMBASSADOR

[06] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT COMMISSION SEEKS PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR REFUGEES

[07] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT SOON VOTES ON NEW PRIME MINISTER

[01] RS PRIME MINISTER ON COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA IN ALL FIELDS

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-12 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-11

[02] BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER CRITICISES WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

Klickovic said that though dissatisfied that not all perpetrators of crimes at celebici had been brought to justice, the Republika Srpska was still very much interested in the trial, as these were the first charges to be brought for crimes against bosnian Serbs.

The Tribunal on Monday opened trial of Muslims Zejnil Delalic, Hazim Delic and Esad Landzo, and Croat Zdravko Mucic, camp commander, for grave breaches of the Geneva conventions and the international laws and customs of war.

Noting that the crime perpetrated at Celebici was far greater than the crimes listed in the bill of indictment, Klickovic stressed that many crimes and many perpetrators had been left out, although the Tribunal had received evidentiary material in good time.

Klickovic informed Arbour that Bosnian Muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic had himself visited Celebici camp on several occasions, specifically in late July and in September 1992, which proved he had known about it and had done nothing to prevent and punish the crimes.

Klickovic further said it was unacceptable that the Tribunal should try to fix percentages of each sides' crimes in the Bosnian civil war. He said that the chief criteria should be the actual crimes committed and their perpetrators, which would in turn produce the percentage of each party's accountability.

He said that the Tribunal's point of departure that Bosnian Serbs had perpetrated 80 percent of the crimes was an imposed political view and a collective accusation of the Serb people that had no basis in fact.

The small number of indictments for crimes against Serbs, although the Court had received proof that a large number of crimes had been committed by a large number of perpetrators, was meant to minimise the Croat and Muslims crimes, Klickovic said. The idea was, too, to make it appear that the Tribunal had been set up to try Serbs alone, he added.

Klickovic commented also on a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report, carried by The New York Times and quoted in a U.N. Human Rights Commission Resolution, that Serbs had committed 90 percent of the crimes in Bosnia- Herzegovina. He stressed that the Government of the Republika Srpska rejected the collective accusations as legally and morally impermissible. Klickovic said that, by accepting the report of an intelligence agency of a state about the percentage of indictments that should be filed, the Court was in fact doing a political job which proved that it was neither an independent nor impartial international court.

The Republika Srpska Government offered in substantiation of this statement the fact that the Court had brought 18 indictments for 74 war crimes suspects, 54 of them Serbs, which was a percentage determined in advance.

Klickovic said that the Tribunal had clearly shown bias and anunequal attitude to the confronted parties in the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, thereby proving that it wanted to put only one nation on trial.

In case the said omissions and mistakes were not corrected in the course of the trial, the Government of the Republika Srpska would organise a fair trial in absentia of those suspected in the crimes at Celebici, Klickovic said in the letter. This would be in keeping with Article 9, Section 1 of the Statute of the Tribunal providing for the equality of the national courts with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia, Klickovic said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-12 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-11

[03] WORLD ENVOY BILDT SEEKS MORE POLICE FOR DISPUTED BOSNIAN TOWN BRCKO

The U.N. Security Council is to vote next week on a request adopted at an International Conference on Brcko in Vienna on March 7 that the present number of 30 U.N. civilian police (IPTF) in Brcko, unarmed and without the right to strike back, be raised to 200. According to Murphy, the added police forces are necessary if the IPTF is to play a more active part in the protection of human rights.

Murphy told a news briefing in Sarajevo that the authorities in the Croat Sector of divided Mostar in southeastern Bosnia-Herzegovina were still refusing to arrest three policemen accused by the United Nations of shooting at unarmed Muslims on Feb. 10. One person was killed and 34 others were wounded in the incident.

Murphy said diplomatic and political pressure would continue to be applied to force the authorities to carry out the order and arrest them.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-12 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-11

[04] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA PREPARING TO RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH YUGOSLAVIA

Among other things, the Agreement will deal with stimulating, planning and coordinating comprehensive cooperation, especially in the areas of culture, education, science, economic development and progressive linking of production, economic renewal and reconstruction, and the development of further links between Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-12 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-11

[05] SERBIAN MINISTER RECEIVES CZECH AMBASSADOR

Responding to an interest shown by Busniak regarding a new Bill on Information, Milentijevic said a forum would be set up to discuss the first working draft. The forum would comprise experts, representatives of the press, universities, institutes and other prominent citizens and representatives of national minorities, said Milentijevic. After a public discussion of the forum in the media, and the coordination of its stands, the Bill would be put up for vote.

The Ministry is offering a platform for the people of Serbia to take part in the dialogue and contribute to the formulation of the final draft, Milentijevic concluded.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-12 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-11

[06] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT COMMISSION SEEKS PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR REFUGEES

The Commission said the best solution for the refugees would be to return to their homes. It was necessary, therefore, that all efforts be put in so that the refugees are received properly in their previous environments, and to facilitate their return and create conditions for a lasting, safe and dignified life.

The international community is under obligation to ensure conditions for repatration and secure funds for the economic integration of refugees who wished to remain in Yugoslavia, it was heard in the meeting.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-12 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-11

[07] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT SOON VOTES ON NEW PRIME MINISTER

Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic said in a letter to the Speakers of both Houses that he was sure the current Prime Minister and Premier Designate, Radoje Kontic, would set up a competent and responsible government and prepare a program that would stress the vital interests of our country.

I am convinced the Prime Minister and his Government will efficiently affirm and strengthening Yugoslavia as a modern federation, based on political pluralism, a free market economy and the rule of law, Lilic said in the letter. Lilic said he was certain the Government would work on economic development and Yugoslavia's return to international political and econonic institutions.

Kontic said the new Government would be a coalition, comprised of experts who would deal with political, economic and social problems and offer a program that would be acceptable to the opposition as well.

The strategic aim of the new Government would be the creation of a prosperous, stable and democratic state that would ensure peace, stability and security for its people, said Kontic.

On the internal political plane, Kontic said economic reform was a priority, as well as the construction of a state of law, democratization and consolidation of the Federation as a community of equal republics and citizens. In foreign policy, the Government would work on Yugoslavia's reintegration into political, financial, trade and other international organizations, and the implementation of the Dayton Accord on Bosnia.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-12 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-11

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