Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-09-09

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Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] MINISTER KANAZIR RECEIVES CHINESE AMBASSADOR

[02] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES NEWLY APPOINTED YUGOSLAV AMBASSADORS

[03] SERBIAN, GREEK CONSTRUCTION MINISTERS MEET IN SALONIKA

[04] SERBIAN PREMIER MARJANOVIC - WE FULFILLED THE SET TASKS

[05] OSCE SAYS TECHNICAL PREPARATIONS COMPLETED FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

[06] WASHINGTON DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT BOSNIA - NEW YORK TIMES

[07] DER SPIEGEL: CROATIA BLOCKS THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL

[08] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KONTIC, PAVLE BULATOVIC

[09] COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAV AND AUSTRIAN BUSINESSMEN

[10] BOSNIAN SERBS KLICKOVIC, BUHA MEET WITH OSCE'S FROWICK

[11] KLICKOVIC RECEIVES WORLD BANK DELEGATION

[12] DIPLOMATS IN YUGOSLAVIA VISIT KALENIC MONASTERY

[13] U.S. CONGRESSMEN VISIT KRAJISNIK

[14] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC SAYS THERE WILL BE NO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

[15] BOGDANOVIC RECEIVES LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMATS

[16] IVOR ROBERTS IN PODGORICA

[17] BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIAL KRAJISNIK MEETS WITH U.N. ENVOY EIDE

[18] PAPER VESTI: CROATS KILLED 2,500 SERBS IN PAKRACKA POLJANA

[19] MIHAILOVIC: NEW VERSION OF MEMORANDUM WAS DISCUSSED

[20] KRAJISNIK IS READY TO BE PUT TO TEST

[21] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES GENERAL CLARK

[22] CLARK APPEALS TO MILOSEVIC TO END CONFRONTATION IN RS

[23] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES U.S. AMBASSADOR PARDEW

[24] AUSTRIAN MEDIA ABOUT "BAJRAMOVIC CASE"

[25] GOVERNMENT ADOPTS PLATFORM FOR MILUTINOVIC-GRANIC TALKS

[26] PERISIC RECEIVES CLARK AND PARDEW

[01] MINISTER KANAZIR RECEIVES CHINESE AMBASSADOR

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

Serbian Minister of Science and Technology Dusan Kanazir conferred on Monday with Chinese Ambassador to Yugoslavia Zhu Ankang on the further development of scientific-technical cooperation between Yugoslavia and China, in particular cooperation with Shandong province, a Republican Ministry statement said.

The Serbian government, at the proposal of the Shandong Provincial Government, has decided to set up a joint centre for scientific-technical and economic cooperation in the provincial capital of Jinan.

Assistant Serbian Minister of Science and Technology Ratko Uzunovic has been entrusted with heading the working group of the Republican Government to coordinate founding documents for the centre, as well as a number of proposed scientific-research projects.

[02] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES NEWLY APPOINTED YUGOSLAV AMBASSADORS

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Monday the newly appointed Yugoslav Ambassadors Pavle Todorovic to Canada, Dragan Dragojlovic to Australia, Nikola Cicanovic to Belgium, Radomir Bogdanovic to Libya, Cedomir Strbac to India, Mirko Stefanovic to Israel, Milan Grubic to the Netherlands, Danilo Vucetic to Portugal, Dusan Crnogorcevic to Finland, Stanimir Stakic to Kuwait and Vladimir Drljevic to Kenya.

President Milosevic set out that the current period was characterized by decisive efforts for the full international affirmation of the Federal Republc of Yugoslavia and its policy of peace, openness, cooperation and understanding with other countries. Milosevic said he was convinced that the traditionally good bilateral relations and, especially, economic cooperation between Yugoslavia and the countries where the Ambassadors would serve would continue successfully to develop.

President Milosevic said the Yugoslav Ambassadors would make a contribution to such a development by representing the overall social, economic and cultural life of Yugoslavia and its peoples and Yugoslavia's steady efforts to strengthen peace, stability and equality-based relations among states and nations in the world.

The openness of Yugoslavia enables the focus of activities to be on the strengthening of economic relations, President Milosevic pointed out. He wished the Ambassadors success in the performance of their responsible duties.

[03] SERBIAN, GREEK CONSTRUCTION MINISTERS MEET IN SALONIKA

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

Serbian Construction Minister Branislav Ivkovic met in Salonika on Monday with Greek Minister of Town Planning, Housing and Public Works Costas Laliotis to discuss promotion of Yugoslav-Greek cooperation in this field. The consturction Minister of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia is in Salonika to attend an international congress on the linkage of southeast European markets through large-scale infrastructural projects.

A statement issued by the Yugoslav Consulate General in Salonika quoted Minister Laliotis as saying his Government was willing to support Yugoslavia's return to and full participation in all world bodies, and to help promote its relations with the EU.

The Greek Government's decision to grant a loan of one hundred million dollars for building infrastructural projects is geared to this end.

The Minister further said he was confident of success in talks being held in the Serbian Government with Greek companies about the construction of a section of a highway through Yugoslavia as a joint venture. He added that the development of the road network in Yugoslavia was creating conditions for an optimum exploitation of the road arteries in Greece.

The two ministers agreed that an inter-state treaty on scientific and technical cooperation, to be signed by the end of 1997, would be a good basis for further developing bilateral cooperation in the building of infrastructural projects in both countries.

Minister Ivkovic informed his partner in talks about the reform process and its effect on the economic and social development of Serbia, specifically about investment possibilities, concessions and privatisation. He stressed the importance of passing reform laws from the point of view of protecting foreign investors, the statement said.

[04] SERBIAN PREMIER MARJANOVIC - WE FULFILLED THE SET TASKS

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

Serbia's Government of national unity has won the full confidence of citizens because it has introduced stability and security into daily affairs and created a material base for reforms, Serbian Premier Mirko Marjanovic said on Monday. Marjanovic set out in a meeting with representatives of the Republic's economic life that his Government had fulfilled the set tasks, despite difficulties and impediments.

"Equitable peace has been achieved on the territory of the former SFRY primarily thanks to the policy pursued by Serbia, i.e. the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Economic Recovery Program has successfully been implemented, the stability of prices and the national currency achieved, a market-economy system rounded off, and the rule of law and principles of democratic rule affirmed," Premier Marjanovic pointed up.

He said his Government had taken office in 1994, at a time "when we faced the most difficult situation in the more recent history of Serbia...'a time of the secessison of the former republics of the SFRY, war which rage in our neighbourhood, hyperinflation, the country's devastating fiscal and monetary system and production which was practically at a standstill."

Marjanovic told the meeting of company directors, Government members, representatives of the trade unions and the Serbian and Yugoslav Chambers of Commerce that his Government had achieved better results than anyone had initially expected in the implementation of the Economic Recovery Program.

The Serbian Premier underscored that negative economic tendencies had been turned into positive ones, and the growth of production and exports stepped up, especially since the lifting of the international sanctions against Yugoslavia.

Marjanovic said a 15-percent growth of the social product had been recorded over a three-year period, which he noted had not been achieved by any transition country and had been recorded by hardly a few countries of the EU.

The per capita social product has risen from 250 dollars when the Marjanovic Government took over to 1,500 dollar, and is expected to go further up, as Marjanovic set out.

The Serbian Premier said his Government had taken a series of measures and invested significant resources to stimulate production and exports and build numerous infrastructure facilities - the reconstruction and building of roads, railways and telecommunications.

He gave as an example the 1.2 billion dinars invested in Belgrade's metallurgy, which he said was now capable of further pursuing reforms without much intervention by the state. Marjanovic set out that his Government had activated the agricultural budget and secured a non- inflationary financing of the agricultural production and purchases, which he said had helped secure a 3.3-percent annual growth of the agricultural production.

The Serbian Premier said exports had been recording a stepped-up growth, especially since the lifting of the international sanctions, and pointed up that they were a fifth higher in 1996 than in 1995, a year near whose end the sanctions were lifted.

Marjanovic singled out the oil barter deal with China and the natural gas barter deal with Russia, and said that even at the time of the "harshest sanctions, our exports had stood at a billion German marks, thanks to the gas arrangement with Russia."

He said his Government had pursued a policy of stiff budgetary discipline, decisively contributing to the stabilization of prices and the national currency.

Marjanovic pointed out that the participation of public spending in the social product and taxes on the economy were steadily being decreased.

He said the situation in terms of pensions, social benefits, education, health and science was gradually improving.

Marjanovic set out that the market was relatively well supplied, after a period of a devastating hyperinflation and shortages.

He said his Government had embarked on a path of reforms fully aware that "stability and stepped-up economic growth are possible only through a further consolidation of the foundations of a modern, mixed market economy, ... the rule of law, and the full protection of property and contracts."

The Serbian Premier told the meeting that in additon to measures aimed at stimulating economic activities and securing full stability, Serbia and Yugoslavia had adopted systemic laws, including those on enterprises, banks and other financial organizations, labour relations, taxation system, concessions, and anti-monopoly.

He said the law on ownership transformation was a "key, reform law, without which no essential and major changes are possible."

The Serbian Premier set out that with the ownership and organizational transformation of the PTT Serbia public enterprise, his Government had show it was seriously counting on onwership transformation and foreign capital and had secured foundations for the financing of development, the stimulating of production and exports, and a more regular financing of public spending.

The process of restructuring of enterprises will not be easy or brief, but it must be pursued with a view to creating foundations for more efficacious economic activity through production, organizational and onwership restructuring, Serbian Premier Marjanovic told the meeting.

[05] OSCE SAYS TECHNICAL PREPARATIONS COMPLETED FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

All technical preparations for the Sept. 13-14 municipal elections have been completed, Spokesman for the OSCE Regional Office in Banjaluka Fabio Gregolet told a news conference on Monday. Asked whether free, fair and democratic elections were possible when the police in Banjaluka had banned all public gatherings, the Spokesman said the ban was contrary to the election rules and regulations but the security of citizens was of the utmost importance at this point.

Spokesman for the International Police Task Force Alun Roberts said that the problem of a Serb Democratic Party (SDS) rally scheduled to be held in Banjaluka on Monday evening had been discussed with Republika Srpska member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik by special U.N. envoy Kai Eide and IPTF commissioner Manfred Zeitner.

The Spokesman said a compromise solution had been offered that the rally be held on the outskirts of the city and not in its centre.

He told reporters that Eide had let it be known that the U.N. mission opposed bans of election-campaign meetings and urged that the proposal for the meetings to be held outside of the city be accepted.

SFOR Spokesman Mike Wright confirmed that the multinational force had approved the request of the Republika Srpska 1st Army Corps for the use of armoured personnel carriers and additional personnel to provide security for Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic.

He said SFOR had not observed any activities of groups or individuals in the vicinity of Banjaluka, and set out that the multinational force would not interfere in the responsibilities of local authorities in connection with the banned SDS rally.

[06] WASHINGTON DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT BOSNIA - NEW YORK TIMES

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

The United States does not have a consistent policy towards Bosnia, nor does the Administration know what it really wants to do about that former Yugoslav republic, according to the New York Times on Monday. The newspaper carries a commentary by Thomas Freedman who is trying to shed light on the U.S. policy in the Balkans, suggesting that the interpretation of the Dayton Peace Accord has been rather flexible since it was signed in late 1995.

The commentator doubts that arresting war crime suspects would solve the present problems in Bosnia.

The newspaper says that, to listen to Clinton Administration officials, one would think that all Bosnian problems would be solved by arresting Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, whereas this is not so.

The commentator stresses that while he fully supports the principle of arresting war crime suspects, there are still dangers inherent in this kind of simplistic interpretation of the complex situation in Bosnia.

He takes the view that important matters may be obscured if attention is focused on only one problem to the exclusion of all else.

He goes on to say that the Bosnian war broke out because the Muslims wanted a centralised state, whereas the Serbs and Croats sought separate national states.

Freedman says clearly that the Dayton Accord has practically given the Serbs and Croats in Bosnia a kind of autonomy and the right to forge close ties with their national mainlands.

The other part of the Accord, he says, includes an annexe with practically the force of a promise, which speaks of building in the future a multi- ethnic democracy in Bosnia through elections, common bodies of power and settlement of the refugee problem.

The paper says that, ever since the Accord was signed, Washington has been unable to decide whether to insist on the carrying out of its promise to the Muslims or just let the multi-national peace force supervise the ceasefire in a divided Bosnia.

The dilemma has been a serious one for U.S. Administration officials, and they will soon have to decide one way or the other, whether Karadzic is arrested or not, the commentator says.

One of the options is for the United States to recognise the legality of the division of Bosnia, which would secure a painless implementation of the plan of pulling U.S. troops out of Bosnia by June 1998, the paper says.

Should this be accepted, then, with certain amendments to the Dayton Accord, the line of separation between the entities - the Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation - would be altered, too, the author says. He opines that the solution arrived at in this manner would be a stable one.

Other alternatives are being put forward, too, which the Administration will supposedly have to consider. One of them is the insistence on a united multi-ethnic Bosnia, which would almost certainly mean that NATO troops would have to stay on in Bosnia indefinitely, in order to support this artificial creation.

The commentator suggests that Washington should bring to the speediest possible conclusion the present phase where accent is being laid only on arresting war crime suspects. Once this is over, then efforts might possibly be concentrated on the heart of the matter, he says.

[07] DER SPIEGEL: CROATIA BLOCKS THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

Croatia is still avoiding cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, the German weekly Der Spiegel said in its Monday issue and concludes that the authorities in Zagreb were trying to block the work of the International War Crimes Tribunal.

The weekly stressed that the regime in Zagreb was protecting some if its people politically, while in other cases it was preventing proceedings by failing to provide evidence required by the Hague Tribunal. Contrary to Dayton Agreement provisions, the Tribunal Prosecutor has not yet obtained documentation about general Tihomir Blaskic, or about Darija Kordic.

Der Spiegel stressed that in the case of Tomislav Mercep the court was still undecided, in expectation of evidence material from Zagreb. Sufficient evidence against Merceo was given in the recent confession of criminal Miro Bajramovic, member of death squads that killed hundreds of Serb civilians, but the authoritites in Zagreb are not ready to issue a permit to Hague Tribunal investigators to interrogate in Zagreb the arrested Bajramovic. The German daily described the behaviour of official Zagreb towards the International War Crimes Tribunal as a blockade. But Der Spiegel does not mention possible measures against Zagreb's behaviour, such as sanctions that could come from Washington.

Nor does it carry the assessment of Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic that Zagreb could turn over all those on the Tribunal's list, on condition that trials do not last for months as is the case with Blaskic. However, that Bosnian Croat General is in the Hague very long precisely because Zagreb is not ready to send to the Court all the documentation in its possession.

However, the German media has recently started to slowly open the files of Croatian crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. Recently even Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, very supportive of the Zagreb regime in the past, devoted a lot of space to Bajramovic's confession and reproduced all the gruesome details about massacres perpetrated by members of the unit "fall rains" over Serb civlians in Croatia.

Germany's support of Croatia, at least in the case of the German media, now ends at the dividing line about the truth about crimes committed in the name of secession, putting an end to years of propaganda in favor of that former Yugoslav republic as the alleged "victim."

[08] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KONTIC, PAVLE BULATOVIC

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Friday Yugosllav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic and Defense Minister Pavle Bulatovic, to review issues related to the funding and development of the Yugoslav Army. Taking part in the meeting were also Chief of Staff Gene.Momcilo Perisic with associates - Gen.Aleksandar Dimitrijevic, Gen. Zivorad Vujicic and FRY President Military Cabinet Chief Gen. Slavoljub Susic.

Long-term and short-term measures prepared during the month of August with a view to increase funding for the Yugoslav Army were assessed as successful. Conditions have been met for the timely payment of salaries and pensions to members and officers of the Yugoslav Army and to secure regular supplies of food, clothing, medicine and electric power, with the maximum efforts of the Federal and Republican Supply and Procurement Authorities.

It was established that work has started on the realization of the program for restructuring the Yugoslav special purposes industry, with an analysis of domestic economic potentials, export possibilities and degree of conversion of military into civilian production programs.

It was stressed that funds had been secured for a speedy realization of the project of building 10,000 apartments for the needs of the Yugoslav Army over a five-year period.

[09] COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAV AND AUSTRIAN BUSINESSMEN

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

The just-concluded visit of an Austrian business delegation to FR Yugoslava has given the first concrete results, newspapers here said, citing Austrian Embassy Trade Department Head Franz Erhart and Austrian Chamber of Economy President Leopold Maderthaner. The Vienna newspaper Die Presse quotes Maderthaner's assessment that he was "returning home with good impressions" and that he was optimistic that trade relations between the FRY and Austria will soon reach the former, high level.

A firm from Steiermark, Plan T, has signed with the Serbian electric power industry a contract on the modernization and expansion of the electric power station Kolubara, and a study is currently worked out about investments, which will be presented end-September.

It is assessed that the sum in question is between 20 and 40 million shillings (three-six million Deutsch marks), Die Presse said.

The Austrian media pointed out that representativs of the firm Elin EBG visited for the second time Belgrade to talk with Yugoslav railway officials about the modernization of the railway's rolling stock.

A third firm mentioned in concrete business arrangements, Frequentis, deals with information technique. The firm is interested in cooperation in the field of flight control.

It was agreed that a Yugoslav business delegation visits Vienna on December 2.

Die Presse assessed that Yugoslavia's restrictive monetary policy succeeded to bring under control the economy, stressing that after a number of years of high inflation prices rose in seven months this year only 3.3 percent, and that production and exports were growing.

Trade between the two countries was 330 million dollars before the introduction of sanctions by the international community.

[10] BOSNIAN SERBS KLICKOVIC, BUHA MEET WITH OSCE'S FROWICK

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Republika Srpska Premier Gojko Klickovic and Vice Premier Aleksa Buha met on Friday with Robert Frowick, chief of the Bosnia mission of the OSCE, and his aides. The two sides discussed upcoming municipal elections.

Buha, who is in charge of foreign relations, said after the talks that some headway had been made; for instance, the article providing for the arrest of people on the Hague-based war crimes court's secret lists had been dropped from the election rules annexe. He also said that the question of opposition parties' participation in municipal administration bodies had also been cleared up. He added that the parties or coalitions of parties that won the elections would have the right to appoint municipal officials, and the other parties would have the right to be represented on municipal boards for different regions.

Buha announced meetings with OSCE officials about the voters' registers for Monday and Tuesday.

He said that the Republika Srpska Parliament would have the final say in the matter of municipal elections when it convened on Sept. 10.

Frowick, for his part, said that he would be discussing with Government officials questions that should be dealt with in the next few days. He said that progress had been made in the evening's talks, adding he hoped that questions outstanding could be cleared out of the way and that the provisional electoral commission would convene on Tuesday.

He also said that these were difficult questions, but that the OSCE would invest efforts to help the people elect municipal representatives of their choice.

[11] KLICKOVIC RECEIVES WORLD BANK DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Gojko Klickovic and Minister of Power and Mining Milorad Skoko conferred in Pale on Friday with a delegation of the World Bank headed by Executive Director Boris Habirov. Following the meeting, Skoko said Republika Srpska would not make difficulties for the Muslim side to conclude an agreement with Russia on supplying Muslim towns with gas in spite of the unresolved oustanding debts.

Skoko said Habirov had said it was necessary to settle the oustanding debts of Republika Srpska and the Bosnia-Herzegovina Federation to the amount of 12.4 million dollars for gas delivered by Russia following the signing of the Dayton Accords. Russia delivered 38 million dollars' worth of gas, and the remaining debt is to be divided also among certain donour countries, and some credits were used as well, Skoko said.

[12] DIPLOMATS IN YUGOSLAVIA VISIT KALENIC MONASTERY

Tanjug, 1997-09-07

Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives accredited in Yugoslavia visited on Sunday the 28th annual celebration held near Kalenic Monastery. The diplomats, representing around 40 countries, toured the Monastery church, which boasts some of the most beautiful frescos of medieval Serbia, and attended a performance by the Kolo folk ensemble.

Welcoming the guests was Zoran Lilic, Vice President of the Socialist Party of Serbia and the candidate of the SPS, Yugoslav Left and New Democracy at the forthcoming Serbian presidential elections.

The guests were enabled to acquaint themselves with the spirit of the Serbian people and the cultural policy that takes care to raise the cultural level throughout the country, said SPS Vice President Zivadin Jovanovic. Jovanovic said the gathering, held from September 5-7, linked cultural history with modern trends and the culture and activities of Serbs abroad.

[13] U.S. CONGRESSMEN VISIT KRAJISNIK

Tanjug, 1997-09-06

Republika Srpska's representative in Bosnia's three-man presidency Momcilo Krajisnik met on Saturday with U.S. Congressmen Charles Boyd and Garner Packam. The officials exchanged information on implementation of the Dayton Accord, the current situation in Republika Srpska with regard to the entity's internal crisis, and the forthcoming local elections.

There was mention of recent events in Brcko and Bijeljina and relations between Republika Srpska and the Stablization Force. Krajisnik said after the meeting that he had told the Congressmen that Republika Srpska called for the implementation of the Dayton Accord and good relations with SFOR.

He said he hoped that Republika Srpska's stands on these issues would be presented to the U.S. Congress, which plays an important role in the implementation of the Dayton Accord.

[14] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC SAYS THERE WILL BE NO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic said on Thursday on BK Television that there will be no presidential elections in the Bosnian Serb entity, and that local elections must be held, as envisaged under the Dayton Peace Agreement.

President Plavsic said she had dissolved the Assembly and called early parliamentary elections because of "chaos in Republika Srpska.' "It is envisaged under the Constitution, and I made use of the possibility because Republika Srpska, in the absence of classic foes, started losing at another level, at the crime level," Plavsic told BK TV.

She said she had dissolved the Assembly because there was no other way to secure a change of the Cabinet.

"Due to the fact that the policy is decided by the party presidency, the party is concerned with its on interests and forgets the interests of the state. The elections must be held because the institution "Assembly has been dissolved," Republika Srpska President Plavsic set out.

"Presidential elections, just as elections for all other institutions, are scheduled for September 1998," she said.

"Municipal elections are envisaged under the Dayton Agreement and it is not advisable to violate the Dayton Agreement, and you cannot selectively take from the Dayton Agreement what suits you and reject what does not suit you, " Plavsic underscored.

[15] BOGDANOVIC RECEIVES LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMATS

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

The Yugoslav Assembly's Chamber of Republics Vice-President Radmilo Bogdanovic received on Friday the Ambassadors and Charges d'affaires of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, and Peru, and, on Thursday, the Indian Ambassador, at their request. During the talks, views were exchanged regarding the holding of the upcoming conference of the Interparliamentary Union in Cairo, in whose work a Yugoslav delegation will also take part as full member.

[16] IVOR ROBERTS IN PODGORICA

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Montenegrin Foreign Minister Branko Perovic received on Friday in Podgorica Ambassador of Great Britain to Belgrade Ivor Roberts. Views were exchanged about the current political situation in Montenegro and about some issues related to cooperation between Montenegro and Great Britain.

Within bilateral cooperation, talks also dealt with a new program of pursuing further studies in Great Britain for 15 young experts from Montenegro, in the field of privatization and management, realized in cooperation with the British Know How Fund.

[17] BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIAL KRAJISNIK MEETS WITH U.N. ENVOY EIDE

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Bosnian Serb representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-man presidency Momcilo Krajisnik met in the Republika Srpska centre of Pale on Friday with the U.N. Secretary General's special envoy Kai Eide. After the meeting, Krajisnik said they had discussed a number of subjects, specifically restructuring of the Republika Srpska police force, elections and the crisis in the Bosnian Serb state.

He said the talks had been useful, adding that Eide had been understanding and had promised to help solve the crisis in the Republika Srpska. Krajisnik described the talks as successful, adding he hoped that good cooperation with U.N. representatives would continue.

[18] PAPER VESTI: CROATS KILLED 2,500 SERBS IN PAKRACKA POLJANA

Tanjug, 1997-09-07

Croatian forces killed 2,500 Serbs in Pakracka Poljana alone, claims Dr. Vojin Dabic from the Information Centre of the Serb Alliance in an interview to be carried by Monday's issue of its paper Vesti. Dabic quoted the results of an investigation conducted in mid-1993 by a Canadian officer from the civilian police in Western Slavonija.

The paper Vesti, published in Frankfurt, Germany, demanded that Dabic provide more details regarding the recent confession of Miro Bajramovic, a Croat, about the mass crimes against Serb civilians.

"Since the summer of 1991, my associates and I have followed the trail of the crimes committed by Tomislav Mercep, starting from the murder of Milenko Djuricic, executed in Vukovar by Nebojsa Hodak, who was recently arrested in Zagreb," Dabic said and added that all the evidence shows that Mercep's group had killed in Croatia in regions where there were no war operations."

"Mercep was the creator of ethnic cleansnig," Dabic said.

He underscored that "now it is clear that Croatia was no victim, but had used (the western media campaign) to carry out ethnic cleansing. All ethnic groups, especially the Serbs who are now an insignificant minority, have been annihilated by Croatia, which is one of the ehtnically cleanest countries in Europe today," Dabic said.

He set out that his team had managed to find an eye-witness who watched the preparations for the stagemanaging of the massacre of people waiting in a breadline in the Vase Miskina Street in Sarajevo, for which the Serbs were blamed.

According to Dabic, the witness saw strechers being brought, TV cameras and crews placed in position, and all carried out by a Muslim terrorist group.

The witness had to be concealed from the public because some members of his family remain in Sarajevo, Dabic said.

The breadline massacre in the Vase Miskina Street, which took place on May 27, 1992, served as an excuse for the imposition of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Bosnian Serbs were immediately blamed for the massacre. The London Independent, however, on August 22, 1992 published a secret U.N. report which showed that the massacre was committed by the Muslim Government in Sarajevo in order to convince the international community, primarily NATO, to wage war on its behalf.

[19] MIHAILOVIC: NEW VERSION OF MEMORANDUM WAS DISCUSSED

Tanjug, 1997-09-06

The head of the Yugoslav delegation at the talks on the succession of the former Yugoslavia, Academician Kosta Mihailovic, told Tanjug on Saturday that the latest version of the memorandum on succession issues, made up by Sir Arthur Watts, is an improvement on the former one, but that in bilateral talks with Sir Arthur in Brussles in Sept. 4 the Yugoslav delegation had clearly pointed out the disagreements which have yet to be overcome.

Mihailovic made the following statement:

"The topic of the talks was the lastest version of the memorandum to which the Yugoslav side submitted a number of amendmants in writing with the corresponding explanations. Although each amendment was discussed separately, both sides tried to examine in full the issues of the biggest importance both for the basic orientation of the memorandum, and for the individual solutions in this document.

Both sides considered necessary to determine whose document the memorandum was and to establish its character. According to the explanation of Sir Arthur Watts, he had composed this document on the basis of the views and positions expressed by all delegations. Regarding the document's character, it is no longer an informal personal text, but has aquired an official character, which is expressed in the latest version titeled:"Draft Memorandum on Succession Issues."

Such an explanation has a far-reaching significance for defining the next stage of the talks, the further method of work, the responsigibily of all delegations and Sir Arthur's role as the 'international community's negotiator'.

Of the key issues, special attention was paid to the key to the distribution. The Yugoslav side insisted that this key cannot be left for the final agreement, but that the principles for its selection should be contained in the memorandum itself. The Yugoslavs insisted that other major issues should be based on principles, such as the inventory and the evaluation of the property, and that quantitative relations stem from the technical appliation of these principles.

Relevant dates, criteria for the identification of property, beside the key to the distribution, were discussed in detail.

These discussions removed some misunderstandings and imprecisions and clearly pinpointed the disagreement which should be overcome. Both sides agreed that the fruitful discussion about these major issues should be continued at another bilateral meeting in early October before a plenary session is scheduled for late October.

The Yugoslav side informed Sir Arthur that it believes that the latest version of the memorandum is an improvement on the former one and that his contrinution to this is appreciated.

Some issues, such as the case of the archives, were considered to be more of a practical, than a principled nature.

The Yugoslav side expressed its disatisfaction over the conduct of the other delegations who are trying to resolve issues which are the subject of discussion of the group for succession in court and in appeals to international organizations, thus demonstrating unloyalty towards the group for succession and a wish to avoid a discussion on essential topics.

In the same sphere are attempts by the other delegations to, through the making of demands for a partial division, put the Yugoslav side in an uncomfortable position by showing it as uncooperative and thus force the international community excert additional pressure on it," Mihailovic said.

[20] KRAJISNIK IS READY TO BE PUT TO TEST

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Republika Srpska member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik said on BK Television late on Thursday that it would be best for the crisis in the Bosnian Serb entity if President Biljana Plavsic was to resign. "I think that the right solution is for the individual which does not want to participate in the collective work to resign. And, it would be the best and most honourable solution if Ms. Plavsic was to resign," Krajisnik set out.

He said since Plavsic did not want to resign and wanted to remain in power, there had been quite a few proposals that not just parliamentary but also presidential elections be held with a view to calming the situation in the republic.

"Ms. Plavsic wants that I, too, as 'Bosnia-Herzegovina' Presidency member be put to test. I agree to it and it is my offer. I am not afraid of being put to test, let this be the case also with Ms. Plavsic," Krajisnik told BK Television.

He said the international community "will not easily agree to having general elections held in Republika Srpska, and will want parliamentary elections to be held so as to weaken Republika Srpska and get in a larger number of Muslims and Croats." The Bosnian Serb official said it was very symptomatic that those who wanted "to drown Republika Srpska in Bosnia- Herzegovina" wholeheartedly advocated support for Biljana Plavsic.

[21] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES GENERAL CLARK

Tanjug, 1997-09-04

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Thursday U.S. General Wesley Clark, NATO Europe Commander.

Milosevic and Gen. Clark exchanged information and views on the current implementation of the peace agreement on Bosnia-Herzegovina and focused on the role of the international forces.

Underscored was that the positive experiences in the realization of the military part of the agreement are a solid basis, which can serve for the successful rounding up of their overall implementation. Also set out was that cooperation so far between the citizens and institutions of Republika Srpska and SFOR, had been constructive. The crisis in RS should not threaten this cooperation, it was said.

Milosevic said that the problems appearing in the process of SFOR's fulfilling of its obligations, should be resolved through political means, with agreement and with mutual understanding, which excludes the application of threats or force.

The talks were attended by Federal Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic and Yugoslav Army Chief of General-Staff, Gen. Momcilo Perisic.

[22] CLARK APPEALS TO MILOSEVIC TO END CONFRONTATION IN RS

Tanjug, 1997-09-04

NATO Commander in Europe General Wesley Clark has asked Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to use all his influence to end confrontation and make peace prevail in Republika Srpska.

I discussed with Milosevic and Perisic the importance of keeping the Republika Srpska army neutral in the struggle for power and remaining in good and frank relations with the Stabilization Force, said Clark in a press conference.

He said the talks had been open, adding that further comprehensive implementation of the Dayton peace accord was examined. SFOR will continue to carry out its mission, in implementing the military and civilian aspects of the Dayton accord, said Clark.

He said the troops are authorized to defend themselves. They are authorized to take measures for self-defense including force, if their lives are threatened, said Clark.

[23] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES U.S. AMBASSADOR PARDEW

Tanjug, 1997-09-04

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Thursday Ambassador James Pardew, special U.S. representative for issues concerning military stabilization in the region.

The talks focused on current military-political issues of importance for cementing peace and stability in the Balkans, said a communique on the talks.

[24] AUSTRIAN MEDIA ABOUT "BAJRAMOVIC CASE"

Tanjug, 1997-09-04

Austria had wholeheartedly supported Croatia during the war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, but now it has to ask Croatia to show greater resolution in dealing with war crimes, Vienna newspaper Der Standard commentator said Thursday.

The demand came after the arrest of four Croats, former policemen, for committing war crimes over Serb civilians.

Some Austrian newspapers reported only Thursday in detail about the confession of former Croatian policeman Miro Bajramovic about the monstrous crimes of special police units over Serb civilians in Gospic, Pakrac and Slano near Dubrovnik.

Most Austrian media, who at the time of the conflict in the Balkans were against Serbs and against Yugoslavia, published news agency reports from Zagreb with detailed descriptions about the killing and torturing of hundreds of Serb civilians, including women and children.

Der Standard commentator Gerhard Plot, attempting to save the honor of Austrian journalism had, also earlier, along with some of his colleagues, kept a critical distance towards Zagreb.

"The dark spots in Croatia's history, the Ustashi barbarism, the notorious concentration camp Jasenovac, open fanaticism (linking Austrians and Croats) - were all taboo topics in Austria, because war was raging in the neighbouring country," the Der Standard commentator said.

"We knew, thanks to Mock, who our friends were. The West, and also Austria, wanted to be the judge of which side was good and which side was bad," Plot said condemning the behaviour and one-sidedness of West European politicians in the Yugoslav crisis.

Instead of demanding from Croatia to arrest war criminals, nothing has happened. Zagreb is very restained, as, according to Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, war criminals are mostly Serbs and a few Muslims. Describing as scandalous the behaviour of the Croatian judiciary, the Austrian commentator said it waited for conscience-struch war criminals to confess in newspapers before taking action.

Austrian newspapers also quoted Bajramovic as saying that the top Croatian leadership issued the order for the ethnic cleansing of Serbs, so that Tudjman must have been informed about the crimes of the Croatian police.

Instead of turning over war criminals to the Hague, the mood in Croatia is relaxed. In the end, Gerhard Plot said, it is not pleasant to chose between good and bad nationalists in the Balkans, if violent nationalism is identified as the source of all evil, and especially if we do not know exactly which ones are really good.

[25] GOVERNMENT ADOPTS PLATFORM FOR MILUTINOVIC-GRANIC TALKS

Tanjug, 1997-09-04

The Yugoslav Government adopted a platform for talks between Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic and Deputy Croatian Premier and Foreign Minister Mate Granic in Belgrade this month at a session chaired by Prime Minister Radoje Kontic, a Federal Government statement said.

Minister Milutinovic was authorized to sign on behalf of the Yugoslav Government an agreement with Croatia on social security, a treaty on legal aid in civilian and criminal affairs, and agreements on border railway traffic, on road traffic, on border crossings, and on border traffic of persons.

[26] PERISIC RECEIVES CLARK AND PARDEW

Tanjug, 1997-09-04

Chief of General Staff of the Yugoslav Army Gen. Momcilo Perisic and his associates received separately in Belgrade on Thursday NATO Commander for Europe Gen. Wesley Clark and special U.S. envoy for military affairs in the Balkans, Ambassador James Pardew, and his associates.

A General Staff statement said generals Perisic and Clark had conferred on certain issues regarding the realization of military aspects of the Dayton accords and the agreement on subregional arms control. They agreed mutual cooperation should be stepped up and additional efforts invested toward the resolving of current problems through political means and without the use of force.

Gen. Perisic and Ambassador Pardew spoke in detail about the essence of the programme "Equip and Train" and the possible implications of its implementation on stability in the region and peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the statement said.

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