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Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-06-18Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Yugoslav Daily SurveyCONTENTS
[01] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURGTanjug, 1998-06-17Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic will be visiting Belgium and Luxembourg between June 17 and 19, at the invitation of the Belgian Fore ign Minister Eric Derycke and his Luxembourg counterpart Jacques Posse. [02] SERBIAN RADIO TELEVISION ON BIASED REPORTINGTanjug, 1998-06-17What in any other case would have been qualified as terrorism and would have been condemned by a country's entire public and also by the entire w orld public, does not seem to exist in BBC and CNN reports and articles b y the "New York Times" and the "Washington Post" on ethnic Albanian terro rists, whom no ethnic Albanian party representative supports, Serbian Rad io Television (RTS, 1998) said in its prime time news program Wednesday e vening. Still, in a TV story on the truth about the developments in the former Y ugoslavia, notorious CNN journalist Christianne Amanpour has chosen to in terview members of an ethnic Albanian terrorist organization that calls i tself the Kosovo Liberation Army, the RTS said in its comment. Apart from lies Amanpour was saying directly into the camera for the ump teenth time, everybody, even her Atlanta-based editors, should be worried about the fact that her action is subject to Criminal Law in any country , including the United States, it said. Amanpour, along with some other Western reporters, have used freedom of movement and the right to restrictions-free reporting from Kosovo and Met ohija and also from the entire territory of Yugoslavia to do something th ey could not have done in any way in their respective countries, it said. The RTS said in substantiation that, even today in Great Britain, it was impossible to interview representatives of the Irish Republican Army (IR A, 1998) without legal consequences, despite a referendum in Northern Ire land and an agreement signed on the matter. "There is a ban on any statements that may be interpreted as a support t o the IRA. Furthermore, it was not so long ago when, under a special law, it was not allowed to broadcast the voice of Jerry Adams, the leader of the IRA political wing, in any radio or TV show, so resourceful journalis ts had to hire an actor to dub his voice for the program," the RTS said. "Representatives of a political wing of the Basque separatist organizati on ETA have been sentenced to several years in prison for using in their election campaign pictures of ETA terrorists wearing black face masks and demanding secession of this northern Spanish province," it said. "However, in the British BBC's prime time news programs, as well as thos e of the afore mentioned CNN, we can see ethnic Albanian terrorists speak ing about their crimes or even setting conditions for ending their action , which jeopardize also foreign journalists reporting from Kosovo and Met ohija," the RTS said. "Of course, not a single report to-date has mentioned that. Therefore, c hances are slim that some Western media will change their attitude concer ning ethnic Albanian terrorists," it said. "The question is whether the reporting of Christianne Amanpour, namely t he CNN or the BBC, will be the same in case of terrorist attacks in their respective countries, because terrorism is a global problem, which can b e solved everywhere, even in Kosovo and Metohija, solely through resolute action by the state that protects its citizens," said the RTS in its com ment. [03] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RECEIVED THE UKRAINIAN AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-17Serbian Parliament President Dragan Tomic on Wednesday received Ukrainia n Ambassador to Yugoslavia Vadim Primatchenko on a farewell visit. During the talks, the two sides expressed satisfaction with the successf ul development so far of the traditionally good and friendly relations b etween Yugoslavia and Ukraine, a statement by the Press Service of the Re publican Parliament said. It was agreed that there were real conditions for expanding bilateral co operation in all areas and maintaining contacts at all levels. Ambassador Primatchenko, who is terminating his diplomatic mission in Yu goslavia, spoke highly of the importance of the friendly relations betwee n Yugoslavia and Ukraine, and urged the enhancement and further developme nt of the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. Tomic thanked the Ambassador for his cooperation so far and wished him s uccess in his work in his new office, the statement said. [04] YUGOSLAV MINISTER RECEIVED THE MEXICAN AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-17Yugoslav Minister for Development, Science and Environment Jagos Zelenov ic on Wednesday received the Mexican Ambassador to Yugoslavia Carlos Igna cio Gonzalez. A Yugoslav government statement said that Gonzalez had handed over the c oordinated draft Agreement on scientific and technical cooperation betwee n the two countries. Both sides said they expected that the agreement, which will be signed soon, will help intensify bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially in economy, science and technology in keeping with Yugoslavia's and Mexi co's priorities and interests. [05] SERBIAN PREMIER RECEIVED THE NEW CHINESE AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-17Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic received on Wednesday the new Am bassador of the People's Republic of China to Belgrade Pan Zhanlin, the I nformation Ministry said. Yugoslavia and China have traditionally good and friendly relations and both states intend to continue developing their all-round cooperation, it was noted during the meeting. Marjanovic wished to the ambassador success in his mission of promoting friendship and cooperation and said that the Serbian Government would sho w understanding and provide aid for his mission. The present level of economic relations between the two countries and th e creation of several joint companies are a good basis for a faster devel opment of future cooperation to mutual benefit and understanding, Marjano vic said. Ambassador Pan thanked Marjanovic for his welcome and said he would ende avour for the promotion of overall cooperation in line with the policy of openness and reforms and with the principles of support to independence, non-interference in internal affairs, and preserving sovereignty and int egrity of all states. China's foreign policy is founded on non-interference in the affairs of other states, and on rejection of political pressures, economic sanctions and military interventions, the Ambassador said. [06] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS ATTACK YUGOSLAV BORDER GUARDSTanjug, 1998-06-17Two groups of armed ethnic Albanians tried on Tuesday and Wednesday to c ross from Albania into Yugoslavia and opened fire on Yugoslav Army border guards, the Pristina-based Media Centre said on Wednesday. A large group of armed ethnic Albanians attempted to cross from Albania into Yugoslavia about 3 a.m. on Wednesday near the Djeravica border post 2E At the same time, mortar fire was opened on the border guards from t he Albanian territory as well as from the Jasic village located in the Yu goslav territory. The border guards returned fire, killing five members of the group. A la rge quantity of arms was seized, the Media Centre learned from Djakovica municipal authorities. Investigation on the incident is underway. Another large group of armed ethnic Albanians attempted to cross from Al bania into Yugoslavia on Tuesday about 5 p.m. near the Kosare border pos t, north-west of Djakovica. Following a warning by the Yugoslav border guards, the group opened fire from automatic weapons. The border guards returned fire, killing five g roup members, Djakovica municipal authorities said. The rest of the group that tried to enter Yugoslavia illegally withdrew to Albania, from where they opened mortar fire on the border guards. [07] SERBIAN POLICEMAN KILLED IN A TERRORIST AMBUSHTanjug, 1998-06-17The Serbian Interior Ministry has confirmed on Wednesday that the police officer who was gravely wounded from an ambush in Serbia's Kosovo and Me tohija province earlier in the day died on his way to the hospital. A statement issued by the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Serbia sa id: Terrorists attacked a regular police patrol at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednes day, at the villages of Dulje and Crnoljevo on the Suva Reka - Stimlje ro ad in Kosovo and Metohija's Stimlje municipality. The attack was launched from an ambush laid on both sides of the road al ong a stretch of about 2 kilometres, with shoulder-held rocket launchers, grenades and automatic weapons. Junior sergeant Sladjan Miric from Stimlje was gravely wounded in the at tack and died on his way to the hospital. Responding to the terrorist attack, the police scattered a large part of the terrorist gang, inflicting heavy casualties, the statement said. Fire was opened at the same time on a Yugoslav Army unit bivouacking a f ew hundred meters away near the Loznica village. One soldier was killed in the attack according to unconfirmed reports th at reached the Pristina-based Media Centre. [08] NEW ACTS OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISM IN KOSMETTanjug, 1998-06-17Ethnic Albanian terrorists ambushed a police patrol, firing from automat ic weapons and bazookas, near the village of Luznica on the road Stimlje -Suva Reka shortly after 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday. None of the policemen were injured, but several police vehicles were dam aged in the attack, the Pristina Media Centre said. Police returned fire, but there are no reports on possible casualties am ong the terrorists, the centre said. On Tuesday morning, a group of armed ethnic Albanians kidnapped Cedo Kan dic (54, 1998) in the village of Kotor, municipality of Srbica. Srbica mu nicipal authorities were quoted by the Pristina Media Centre as saying Ka ndic had been abducted by seven armed ethnic Albanians. The same persons razed the house of Vuceta Vukovic in the village of Kot or with bazookas, this morning. None of the inhabitants were in the house at the time. [09] GEREMEK URGES PRESERVATION OF YUGOSLAVIA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITYTanjug, 1998-06-17Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek, who presides over the Organis ation for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE, 1998), reiterated on Wednesday his stand that Yugoslavia's territorial integrity must be prese rved in defusing the crisis in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija. Addressing a news conference in Vienna, Geremek condemned the use of for ce, saying the crisis in Kosovo and Metohija was a kind of test for the O SCE and Europe. He said optimism regarding the resolution of the Kosovo and Metohija cri sis could be felt following a meeting in Moscow between President Slobod an Milosevic of Yugoslavia and President Boris Yeltsin of Russia. He said ethnic Albanian extremists posed a threat in Kosovo and Metohija , saying the OSCE and the international community considered Ibrahim Rugo va the only ethnic Albanian they could talk to. Geremek urged close cooperation between the OSCE, the Contact Group and the European Union in resolving the crisis in the province. He said the t hree organisations must have a single approach because advantage could be taken if their approach differed. He reiterated the OSCE readiness to send its special envoy Felipe Gonzal ez to Kosovo and Metohija and renew its mission in the province. After a visit to Yugoslavia, Gonzalez could propose guidelines in talks on Yugosl avia's re-admission to the OSCE, he said. Following Milosevic-Yeltsin talks on Tuesday, a joint statement was issu ed voicing Yugoslavia's readiness to open talks with the OSCE both on the renewal of the OSCE mission in Kosovo and Metohija and on Yugoslavia's r e- admission to the organisation. [10] RUSSIAN DUMA AGAINST MILITARY SETTLEMENT OF THE KOSMET ISSUETanjug, 1998-06-17A military settlement of problems in Kosovo and Metohija must be ruled o ut, said a resolution adopted on Wednesday by the Russian Duma. The resolution welcomed the results of the meeting held on Tuesday betwe en the presidents of Russia and Yugoslavia, Boris Yeltsin and Slobodan Mi losevic, and strongly criticized NATO threats of use of military force. Expressing extreme concern for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija whic h, it is said, was provoked by the extremist activities of ethnic Albania n separatists, deputies of the Russian Lower House of Parliament warned t hat it represented a serious threat to stability in Europe. Russian Parliament Lower House said it fully supported the efforts of th e Russian diplomacy to resolve problems in Kosovo and Metohija by peacefu l means and welcomed the results of the meeting between presidents Yeltsi n and Milosevic and their agreements determined in their joint statement. The deputies underlined that a cause for serious concern was the apparen t tendentiousness of a number of Western countries who try to shift all t he responsibility for the current situation on the Federal Republic of Yu goslavia. Threats of sanctions and military force constitute in fact an e ncouragement for separatism, which is extremely dangerous today, the stat e Duma resolution said. The state Duma, it is said, resolutely opposes the course of action of t he NATO leadership, intended to prepare a military interference in Kosovo. Russian deputies assessed that any kind of military action against Yugos lavia could lead to a wider conflagration in the Balkans, which would inf lict huge damages to all of Europe. NATO military preparations, it is stressed, run contrary to the basic ac t on mutual relations, cooperation and security of the Russian Federation and NATO, in which the NATO leadership declared its intention to act joi ntly with Russia on issues of preserving peace, under U.N. and OSCE aegis. The Russian state Duma called again on parliaments and governments of Eu ropean states to show a sense of responsibility, not to allow the breakin g out of a new war in the Balkans and to do everything possible for achie ving a peaceful settlement for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, on t he basis of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of FR Y ugoslavia and respect for the rights of the Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija. The deputies consider that the agreement reached by presidents Yeltsin a nd Milosevic in Moscow on June 16 open real possibilities for such a sett lement, the state Duma resolution said. [11] YUGOSLAV ECONOMY MINISTER RECEIVED THE NEW CHINESE AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-17Yugoslav Economy Minister Rade Filipovic on Wednesday received the new C hinese Ambassador to Yugoslavia Pan Zhanlin, a Yugoslav Government statem ent said. During the cordial talks, it was said that traditionally good and friend ly relations between Yugoslavia and China were a good basis for a compreh ensive promotion of cooperation in all fields, especially in the economy, where there are wide possibilities. [12] SOLANA: YUGOSLAV-RUSSIAN SUMMIT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONTanjug, 1998-06-17Moscow's meeting of the Yugoslav and Russian presidents on Tuesday showe d that the Kosovo and Metohija settlement process and the situation in ge neral are moving in the right direction, according to the NATO Secretary- General Javier Solana who spoke to reporters in Vilnius, upon his arrival for a brief visit to Lithuania. Saying that an important step forward had been taken in Moscow, Solana i s quoted by Itar-TASS news agency as assuring reporters at a news confere nce that NATO would do everything to see to it that there should be no pr ovocations. Asked about the possibility of using force to solve the crisis in the Yu goslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province, he said this wa s a matter for the international community to decide, and the world appea red not to seek a military intervention at this time. [13] AFANASYEVSKY: WEST SHOULD MAKE ETHNIC ALBANIANS NEGOTIATETanjug, 1998-06-17A ranking Russian official said on Wednesday that the western states of the "Contact Group" should persuade the ethnic Albanian leadership in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province to resume tal ks immediately. Nikolai Afanasyevsky, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister and officer in ch arge of liaison with NATO, was appearing in the popular NTV Hero of the D ay programme to comment on the results of Tuesday's Russian-Yugoslav summ it meeting. Afanasyevsky said that the Russian and Yugoslav presidents, Boris Yeltsi n and Slobodan Milosevic, had "publicly taken very serious obligations a nd they must be fulfilled. Our common task now is to make sure that these obligations are fulfilled." He went on to say that Milosevic had in Moscow shown a feeling of great responsibility for what may happen not only in Kosovo and Metohija, but i n the whole Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Saying that no other "Contact Group" country "could do more than was don e on Tuesday in Moscow," Afanasyevsky added: "The most important thing no w is to persuade - and this is our common task - primarily our Western pa rtners and the leadership of (Kosovo and Metohija's ethnic, 1998) Albania ns to resume talks immediately." He further said that a withdrawal of all police forces from Kosovo and M etohija now would mean "giving whole districts to separatists and extremi sts." He stressed that Kosovo and Metohija's "problem should be solved" within "Serbia and Yugoslavia. Otherwise, it would lead directly to secession a nd war." "If a part of Serbia secedes, the cornerstone principles of stability in the Balkans, in Europe and in the world would be violated and this proce ss will roll on," Afanasyevsky said. [14] MINISTER PRIMAKOV SAYS MAXIMUM HAS BEEN ACHIEVEDTanjug, 1998-06-17Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said on Wednesday that, given the circumstances, maximum had been achieved in talks between President B oris Yeltsin of Russia and President Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia. Speaking for Russia's TV-Centre station, Primakov said it was vital to d o all to make possible the implementation of provisions of a joint statem ent issued after the talks, saying the ball was now in the court of ethni c Albanians. Primakov said, "If we join all our efforts at this point, the way we did earlier, I believe that will lead to a breakthrough that can create a ba sis for the resolution of the Kosovo and Metohija issue." He said Belgrade was ready to negotiate with representatives of ethnic A lbanian political parties, saying that, as regards the West's request tha t Belgrade withdraw regular troops from the province, this would be done in accordance with the degree of ceasing of terrorist actions in Kosovo a nd Metohija. "It would not be fair to ask more from Belgrade at this point," he said. Referring to the provisions of the joint statement, signed in Moscow on Tuesday by presidents Yeltsin and Milosevic, Primakov said Belgrade's ass urances that there would be no repressive actions against civilians const ituted the most important part of it as well as its guarantees that it wi ll allow return of all refugees. In keeping with the document, all humanitarian organisations have been g ranted unhindered access to Kosovo and Metohija, he said. [15] PRESIDENT YELTSIN CALLS FOR WORLD PRESSURE ON KOSMET ALBANIANSTanjug, 1998-06-17The world must use its influence with Kosovo and Metohija's ethnic Alban ians to make them stop their terrorism and violence and take a responsibl e approach towards the negotiating process, Russian President Boris Yelts in said on Wednesday. Yeltsin was speaking on the phone with Italian Prime Minister Romano Pro di. A statement issued by the Presidential Press Service said Yeltsin had br iefed Prodi about the results of his Tuesday's meeting with Yugoslav Pres ident Slobodan Milosevic. Yeltsin noted that none of the parties interested in a speedy peaceful s ettlement of the crisis in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and M etohija province question the inviolability of the principle of Yugoslavi a's territorial integrity. Prodi, for his part, welcomed the Yugoslav-Russian summit and its result s, the statement said. He showed understanding for Russia's appeal to the international communi ty to begin intensive work with Kosovo and Metohija's ethnic Albanians in order to consolidate the success of the Moscow meeting, the statement w ent on to say. It quoted Yeltsin and Prodi as agreeing about the need for continuing in ternational monitoring of the negotiating process in order to make furthe r progress towards settling the Kosovo and Metohija problem. [16] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER RECEIVED THE NEW CHINESE AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-17Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic received on Wednesday the newly- appointed Chinese Ambassador to Yugoslavia Pan Zhanlin. Bulatovic voiced a hearty welcome extending best wishes to Pan in perfor ming the office vital for the promotion of all-round relations between th e Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and China, said a statement issued by th e Yugoslav Information Secretariat. Bulatovic and Pan discussed the promotion of cooperation between the two countries and the implementation of bilateral accords, the statement sai d. [17] SERBIAN MINISTER: DIALOGUE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE KOSMET ISSUETanjug, 1998-06-17Serbian Information Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in Djakovica on Wedne sday that dialogue is the only way to solve problems in the Yugoslav repu blic of Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province. In an interview with a local radio station, Vucic said that Serbia, its government and all its bodies and institutions were exerting every effort toward solving problems and settling the crisis in the entire territory of Kosovo and Metohija by peaceful means and also towards resolving all m isunderstandings and political differences through dialogue. He said he was hopeful that representatives of ethnic Albanian political parties and the Albanian national minority would also realize that dialo gue was the only way to solve the crisis, adding that it was high time th ey gave up all terrorist methods of action. Victims on any side can benefit nobody, he said. We need talks, we need understanding, we need cool heads to avoid both e thnic Albanian and Serb victims, Vucic said. Therefore, those advocating separation of Kosovo and Metohija from Serbi a and Yugoslavia should think the whole thing through and see that Serbia will not allow this at any cost, he said. "We shall protect our country, our homeland, because this is the only co untry we have. We have nothing to lose," said Vucic. He said that it would be possible to reach an accord in serious talks be tween the Serbian and ethnic Albanian sides, without the United States or some Western states making conditions or coaching ethnic Albanian separa tists in how to negotiate, what to demand and how to make conditions. Vucic called for an unconditional dialogue with the ethnic Albanian side , adding that this was the only precondition for the preservation of the country's territorial integrity. He stressed that human rights in Kosovo and Metohija were not jeopardize d, saying that ethnic Albanians enjoyed the same legal status as all othe r Serbian citizens. Serbia respects all human rights guaranteed under international document s, Vucic said. He underscored that at the outbreak of the Kosovo and Meto hija crisis, ethnic Albanian separatists had launched the whole story abo ut ethnic Albanians's rights allegedly being jeopardized. [18] STATEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIATanjug, 1998-06-17At its Wednesday session, presided by Premier Mirko Marjanovic, the Serb ian Government unanimously welcomed Tuesday's joint statement of Presiden ts Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia and Boris Yeltsin of Russia. The Government said that Serbia's competent organs had taken all measure s aimed at ensuring full freedom of movement throughout Kosovo and Metohi ja and protecting the security of citizens and their property. The Serbian Government pays special attention to measures aimed at creat ing conditions for an unimpeded return of all people who temporarily left their homes. The Government will implement a programme of assisting citizens in the r econstruction of houses damaged in terrorist attacks and anti-terrorist m easures in a number of settlements in Kosovo and Metohija and thus facili tate the financial recovery of those whose houses were damaged. In order successfully to implement these measures, the Government adopte d relevant decisions which include the questions of concrete cooperation between competent organs and the International Red Cross and the U.N. Hig h Commissioner for Refugees, the statement said. [19] YUGOSLAVIA AND POLAND SIGN A PROTOCOL 12, 1997.Tanjug, 1998-06-17Deputy Yugoslav Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulajic and Polish Ambassador in Belgrade Slavomir Dabrova signed a Protocol on exchange of instruments for ratification of an accord on double taxation relief. The accord was concluded by the governments of Yugoslavia and Poland, in Warsaw on June The document takes effect as of June 17. Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |