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Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-06-25Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Yugoslav Daily SurveyCONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES GUINEAN AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-24Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received the newly-appointed, extr aordinary and plenipotentiary Guinean Ambassador to the FR of Yugoslavia Dr Fara Milimono on Wednesday. Ambassador Milimono presented to President Milosevic credentials from Gu inean President Lansane Conte. Before presenting the credentials, the Ambassador reviewed the guard of honour outside the presidential palace. Presenting the credentials, the Ambassador conveyed greetings from Presi dent Conte and set out the traditionasl friendship and solidarity of the peoples of the two countries. Guinea is interested in strengthening relat ions and cooperation with Yugoslavia, which has open prospects, especiall y in the economy. Accepting the credentials, President Milosevic expressed confidence that the bilateral relations between Yugoslavia and Guinea would develop succ essfully, contributing to the affirmation of equality, firmer ties and co operation of coutries and peoples in the world. President Milosevic wished the Ambassador success in carrying out his du ties. Following the presentation of credentials, President Milosevic invited Ambassador Milimono for a cordial talk, which was attended also by Yugosl av Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic. [02] UNHCR COOPERATES CLOSELY WITH AUTHORITIES IN SERBIATanjug, 1998-06-24The UNHCR has cooperated closely in the past few days with the Serbian I nterior Ministry and with the new Serbian Government coordinator in Kosov o and Metohija, improving the access of UNHCR teams to the entire territo ry of the province, head of the UNHCR Belgrade office Mons Nyberg said at a press conference on Wednesday. Nyberg said that the freedom of movement of humanitarian teams in the we stern parts of Kosovo had improved considerably, but that U.N. officials will not enter dangerous zones. The UNHCR is unable to give precise data about the number of displaced persons in Kosovo and Metohija, he said. [03] UNITED STATES' HOLBROOKE VISITS SERBIA'S KOSOVO-METOHIJATanjug, 1998-06-24U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke and U.S. Ambassa dor in Skopje Christopher Hill toured on Wednesday the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Province of Kosovo-Metohija. The U.S. delegation was accompanied by Fehmi Agani, Veton Suroi and Bler im Shala, members of ethnic Albanian political parties who are on the eth nic Albanian team for negotiations with the state. The delegation left the Province's chief city of Pristina for Brezovica, Prizren, Djakovica and Decane, and reached the outskirts of the village of Istinic, where they were warned by police that the area was unsafe. Ho wever, they proceeded on their way, but were forced to turn back when the y came up against barricades. Holbrooke and his retinue continued the journey in another direction and , at the Junik village junction in the Decani-Djakovica road, the police escort and the reporters held back, while Holbrooke and his retinue cont inued into the village. Waiting for the U.S. delegation's return, the police and reporters came under small arms fire from a hovering helicopter. Nobody was hurt, but a police car was peppered with bullets. Returning from Junik, where he had met with members of the terrorist org anisation calling itself the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA, 1998), Holbrook e said that talks were the only alternative to war. The U.S. delegation's visit was covered by a hand-picked crew of western journalists. From Junik, Holbrooke went to Pristina Airport, and on to Belgrade. [04] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KILL SERBIAN CIVILIAN IN KOSOVO-METOHIJATanjug, 1998-06-24A Serbian civilian was reported killed on Wednesday outside his home in the village of Kijevo in the Klina municipality in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia's Province of Kosovo-Metohija. The Media Centre in the Province 's chief city of Pristina said that the civilian, Rados Spasic, and his neighbour were attacked from firearms by an armed ethnic Albanian gang. Spasic's neighbour managed to escape, but Spasic was killed and his body was found by police in the evening. He was killed from firearms, the Media Centre quotes Klina authorities a s saying. Spasic was Kijevo school principal. [05] RUSSIA CALLS ON ALBANIA TO INFLUENCE ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJATanjug, 1998-06-24Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Avdeyev called on the Albanian leadership to exert its influence on Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija so that they get to the negotiating table as soon as possible, Russian Amba ssador in Tirana Igor Saprikin said. He told the ITAR-TASS correspondent over the telephone that Avdeyev duri ng his stay in Tirana met with Albanian President Rexhep Mejdani, Deputy Prime Minister Kastriot Islami and Foreign Minister Pascal Milo, whom h e informed about the results of the recent meeting of the presidents of R ussia and Yugoslavia, Boris Yeltsin and Slobodan Milosevic. Russian special envoy Avdeyev, the Russian Ambassador said, called in Ti rana on the Albanian leadership to exert its influence on the leaders of Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija so that they return to the negotiating t able as soon as possible, in order to review all issues, relating to the crisis in Kosovo. When asked how much Albania can influence the situation in Kosovo and Me tohija, the Russian Ambassador in Tirana said: "In any case, Tirana is in volved in the developments and has an interest in the finding of a soluti on and avoiding the consequences, such as, for example, a wave of refugee s." The Russian leadership has sent Avdeyev on a Balkan tour to talk with t he leadership of Albania and Macedonia about ways for resolving peacefull y problems around Kosovo and Metohija. [06] GEREMEK ASSESSES POSITIVELY THE MILOSEVIC-YELTSIN MOSCOW STATEMENTTanjug, 1998-06-24Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE, 1998) Polish Foreign Minister Bronislav Geremek pointed, in Strasburg on Wednesday, to the importance of the Moscow meeting of the presidents o f FR Yugoslavia and of Russia, Slobodan Milosevic and Boris Yeltsin. Speaking in the morning session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Cou ncil of Europe, Geremek stated the readiness of OSCE, to open talks with Yugoslavia about its return to that organization, and advised at the same time the sending of a long-standing mission to Kosovo and Metohija. Geremek also repeated the stand of some international factors on the par ticipation of an international mediator in the talks for resolving the cr isis in Kosovo and Metohija. "The conflict in Kosovo is a test which will show whether international institutions can be efficient in dealing with conflicts on European soil, " Geremek said. OSCE Chairman Geremek also underlined the need for observing the princip le of the inviolability of borders in resolving problems in Kosovo and Me tohija. He also stated his opposition to the demands for the independence of Kosovo and Metohija, adding that there can be no return to the Consti tution from 1974. In the afternoon deliberations, Russian representatives stated their opp osition to the use of force in resolving the crisis in Kosovo and Metohij a. Later in the afternoon, on the agenda of the Parliamentary Assembly of t he Council of Europe is a debate about the situation in Yugoslavia and th e crisis in Kosovo and Metohija. To take part in the debate are Yugoslav parliamentarians * Yugoslav Parliament Lower House Foreign Policy Committ ee Chairman Ljubisa Ristic and Upper House Foreign Policy Committee membe r Milan Bozic. The Yugoslav delegation is taking part in the session of the Parliament ary Assembly of the Council of Europe held in Strasburg, June 22-26, at t he invitation of the Parliamentary Assembly President Leni Fischer. [07] YUGOSLAV OFFICIAL TAKES PART IN DEBATE ON SITUATION IN YUGOSLAVIATanjug, 1998-06-24Head of a Yugoslav delegation at a Council of Europe Parliamentary Assem bly session Ljubisa Ristic spoke on Wednesday about privatization in Yugo slavia, freedom of media, and the problem of high-school education in Kos ovo and Metohija. Ristic said 50 percent of Yugoslavia's economy, including 93 percent of agricultural areas, were already in the private sector, and that 300 new licenses had been issued recently for radio and television stations. As f ar as the right of minority groups to news broadcasts in their mother ton gue, Ristic said Yugoslavia fulfilled all international standards. In Serbia's Provinces Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija, 27 out of 50 pr ograms on local radio and television stations are in minority languages, said Ristic. He said as many as 51 publications were published in the Albanian langua ge in Kosovo and Metohija. Speaking of the problem of classes taught in the Albanian language, Rist ic mentioned a recently opened Institute for Albanian Studies in Kosovo a nd Metohija's capital Pristina, the only one of its kind in Europe. Ristic reiterated Yugoslavia's willingness to resolve problems in Kosovo and Metohija by political means, through dialogue, respecting the equali ty of all people and ethnic communities. He lay stress to a joint statement made last week in Moscow by the presi dents of Russia and Yugoslavia, as a "step toward a political solution in Kosovo and Metohija and an answer to those who call for violence, pressu res and threats." He said economic sanctions and threats of use of force were an attack on the search for a political solution, and lent direct support to separati st and terrorist leaders in Kosovo and Metohija. Calling to memory Yugoslavia's request for full membership in the Counc il of Europe, Ristic reiterated that Yugoslavia considered the bodies and convenctions of the Council as an appropriate platform for encouraging u nconditional and constructive dialogue concerning Kosovo and Metohija, an d on full implementation of a future accord. [08] PRIMAKOV SAYS POLITICAL SOLUTION IS POSSIBLE FOR KOSOVOTanjug, 1998-06-24The situation in Kosovo and Metohija is developing in such a manner that it can be resolved by political means, Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said in Denmark on Wednesday. Primakov said that after recent talks between the presidents of Russia and Yugoslavia, Boris Yeltsin and Slobodan Milosevic, respectively, "Belg rade has shown no sign of going back on what has been agreed on" in Mosco w. Primakov said he had spoken about Kosovo and Metohija in detail with U.S 2E Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and that they had agreed on fur ther coordinating their activities, the Itar-TASS news agency said. Albright telephoned Primakov late on Tuesday, while he was in a meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen. Primakov said his deputy Nikolai Afanasyevski, who is visiting Belgrade , was in contact with U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke. The two are to meet o n Thursday. Primakov said he believed diplomatic activity had to be more vigorous, and added that success depended very much on Kosovo Albanians, who are so far unwilling to negotiate. Primakov said he had met with his Polish counterpart in Denmark, Bronis law Gieremek, who is current Chairman of the Organization for Security a nd Cooperation in Europe. Primakov quoted Gieremek as saying the latter was prepared to carry on i ntensive talks to renew Yugoslavia's membership in the OSCE, and to send a mission to the province, said Primakov. He expressed the conviction that the situation could be stabilized witho ut the use of force. "We will make a historical error if we do not attempt to make use of eve ry possibility to stabilize the situation," he said. [09] COUNCIL OF EUROPE ASSEMBLY DEBATES KOSOVO-METOHIJA CRISISTanjug, 1998-06-24The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly debated in Strasbourg on We dnesday the crisis in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Province of Kosov o- Metohija. Yugoslav delegation head Ljubisa Ristic, who chairs the Foreign Policy B oard of the Yugoslav Parliament Chamber of Citizens (lower house, 1998), and Milan Bozic, member of the Chamber of Republics (upper house, 1998) F oreign Policy Board, took part in the debate. All participants in the debate, which was opened by Co-Rapporteur Andras Barsony of Hungary who chairs the Assembly's Political Committee, urged for putting a stop to violence in Kosovo-Metohija and for resuming dialog ue on a peaceful settlement of the crisis. Ristic and many of those who took the floor stressed the importance of t he Moscow joint declaration, signed by Yugoslav and Russian Presidents Sl obodan Milosevic and Boris Yeltsin on June 16, as the framework for a pol itical settlement for Kosovo-Metohija. Finland's delegate criticised Albania for exploiting the Kosovo-Metohija problem to serve its purpose, and strongly opposed the use of force to s ettle the crisis, saying that any alteration of the borders would trigger a war in the region. Sergei Glotov of Russia spoke in the same way, rejecting the use and thr eat of force and saying that a lasting solution to the Kosovo-Metohija pr oblems could be found only by political means. Some of those who spoke in the debate, such as Liberal Club Chief Lord J ohnston and a French delegate, for instance, put all blame for the Kosovo - Metohija situation only on Belgrade. Closing the debate, Barsony said a solution for Kosovo-Metohija should b e sought only through talks between the Serbian Government and ethnic Alb anian political parties, without imposing a solution from outside and wi thout foreign mediation. He said the world had justly applauded the Dayto n Accord which safeguarded the territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovin a, and he saw no reason why anybody should now seek the secession of any part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After the debate, the body passed a recommendation on the situation in Y ugoslavia and the crisis in Kosovo-Metohija insisting on the resumption o f dialogue and on a full implementation of the Milosevic-Yeltsin Accord. The Moscow joint declaration was incorporated in the recommendation as a n annexe. The document brought little that is new and is practically a compromise between the positions of the "Contact Group" and the European Union on ho w to end the Kosovo-Metohija crisis and those of the Council of Europe Pa rliamentary Assembly as set down in its earlier documents. The only novelty is that the Parliamentary Assembly recommends to the Co mmittee of Ministers to monitor closely the Federal Republic of Yugoslavi a's compliance with the requests of the international community. [10] SERBIAN DELEGATION ATTENDS THE SESSION OF DANUBE BASIN COUNTRIESTanjug, 1998-06-24Serbian Minister without portfolio Slobodan Tomovic on Wednesday left fo r Austria's Burgenland province to represent the Serbian Government in th e proceedings of the 10th session of the Working Community of Danube basi n countries, the Information Ministry said. The meeting will be held from June 25-27, as determined in the adopted c alendar for 1998. The body will consider reports and data on the particip ation of this community in international activities through the work and coordination of the Danube Eco Declaration, making a map of the Danube, a nd its engagement in the Assembly of European regions. The community will also consider cooperation between Danube countries in the areas of the economy, tourism, culture, science, sports, traffic, an d river traffic. The participants will also devote attention to preparations for the 9th conference of heads of governments of Danube basin countries, which will be held in Burgenland from Sept. 17-19 this year, the statement said. [11] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION LEAVES FOR PORTUGALTanjug, 1998-06-24A Yugoslav parliamentary delegation, headed by the Chairman of the Lower House Committee for Public Information Ivica Dacic, has left for Portuga l to take part in the second preparatory meeting for the Third Interparli amentary Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean. The topic of the Conference is "facilitating access to information and c ultural exchange in the Mediterranean," said a statement issued by the Fe deral Parliament. The Federal Parliament delegation has been taking part for almost three years now in this kind of multilateral parliamentary cooperation among t he Mediterranean countries, which is conducted within the Interparliament ary Union, the statement said. [12] BELARUS PREMIER RECEIVES YUGOSLAV ECONOMY MINISTERTanjug, 1998-06-24Belarus Prime Minister Sergei Styepanovich Ling received on Wednesday Yu goslav Economy Minister Rade Filipovic who heads the country's state and business delegation on a visit to Belarus. Ling and Filipovic discussed prospects for economic cooperation between the two countries, especially within business deals that have already be en sealed, the Yugoslav Information Secretariat said. Ling said Belarus would immediately do everything vital for the impleme ntation of accords that the two countries have reached. [13] AGREEMENT ON PREVLAKA DRAFTEDTanjug, 1998-06-24The Yugoslav Government at its Wednesday session, presided over by Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic, reviewed activities for resolving the dispute over the promontory Prevlaka, the Yugoslav Information Secretariat said. The readiness of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was confirmed to fi nd a solution by mutual agreement with the Republic of Croatia. The Yugoslav Government drafted an agreement for resolving the dispute over the promontory Prevlaka, which will be conveyed to Croatia and which specifies the Yugoslav stand in the negotiations with the Republic of Cr oatia. It was decided that the Yugoslav Prime Minister will send a letter to t he Chairman of the Security Council in which Yugoslavia will propose that the mandate of the U.N. observer mission on Prevlaka be extended for ano ther six months. A draft law was determined for ratifying the Convention with Romania on the exploitation and maintenance of hydro-electric and river traffic sys tems Djerdap I and Djerdap II. The Yugoslav Government established the basis for the participation of t he Yugoslav delegation in the meeting of the Working Group for humanitari an issues of the Peace Implementation Council, to be held in Geneva on Ju ne 26. The Yugoslav delegation will be headed by the Yugoslav Minister fo r labour, health and social policy Miodrag Kovac, the statement said. [14] YUGOSLAV PREMIER GIVES INTERVIEW ABOUT LISBON TALKSTanjug, 1998-06-24Yugoslavia's Prime Minister has said that the Government is doing its al l to get the truth about its efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement f or the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia's Province of Kosovo-Metohija to the w orld. "We are making huge efforts to convince our partners in talks that what the CNN, Sky News and other powerful television channels and news ag encies in the world are saying about us is not true," Prime Minister Momi r Bulatovic told Belgrade Radio on Tuesday. Bulatovic was speaking to Belgrade Radio Programme I Editor-in-Chief Dus an Djordjevic in Lisbon, where he attended on Tuesday the Federal Republi c of Yugoslavia's National Day at the World Exposition EXPO 98. "We are trying to prove that the truth is that we are striving to settle the problems in Kosovo-Metohija by peaceful means and in line with the h ighest international standards," Bulatovic said. "We shall fight the prob lems of terrorism and separatism in the same way that the rest of the wor ld and the rest of Europe is fighting them. "I expect us to stay firm on this course, to strengthen our arguments and to effect a relaxation of th e unjust pressure being exerted against our country and which has been es pecially strong over the past few days. "During the talks with Portuguese officials it was noted that Yugoslavia belongs in Europe, not only geographically, but also spiritually, politi cally, civilisationally," he said. "Europe is indivisible; southeast Euro pe is still Europe. It is impossible to stimulate integration in southeas t Europe while working against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which is the most important political factor in the region. "Our option to normalise relations with the neighbouring states, the sta tes of the region, is a European option, since an integrated southeast Eu rope and the Balkans as a zone of cooperation, peace, friendship and unde rstanding will more easily become part of Europe. "Individual states, such as Albania, Croatia and others, are at present acting irresponsibly, hoping to gain by discrediting the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; what they do not realise is that they are in fact discre diting themselves in the process," he said. Speaking about the Crans-Montana World Economic Forum, where he is to he ad Yugoslavia's delegation, Bulatovic said: "I believe that this conferen ce will be important for the affirmation of our country". "We shall have an authoritative delegation, the topics of discussion will be interesting , and I am honoured and happy to be in a position to be the rapporteur in the debate on the role of Yugoslavia as a factor of stability in southea st Europe. "I expect the policy of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to be affirme d in this debate, as well as in the debates on other vital topics concern ing the Balkan region." [15] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES THE NEW CHILEAN AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-24Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Wednesday the newly-ap pointed Ambassador of Chile to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, August in Pia Garsia Espinosa, who handed over to him the credentials of Chilean President Eduardo Frei. Before presenting the credentials, the Chilean Ambassador reviewed the g uard of honour outside the presidential palace. Handing over his credentials, the Chilean Ambassador said that Chile an d Yugoslavia despite the geographic distance have traditional ties, and t hat Chile has an interest in strengthening existing links with our countr y, in the interest of mutual prosperity. Receiving the credentials President Milosevic stated the readiness of Yu goslavia to expand cooperation with Chile and wished Ambassador Espinosa success in the performing of his diplomatic duties. Following the presentation of credentials, President Milosevic invited Ambassador Espinosa for a cordial talk, which was attended also by Yugosl av Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic. [16] YUGOSLAV MINISTER RECEIVES ISRAELI AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-06-24Yugoslav Minister for Development, Science and the Environment Jagos Zel enovic received on Wednesday Israel's Ambassador to Yugoslavia David Sass on, said a statement released by the Information Secretariat. The two sides underscored mutual interest for development of bilateral r elations, and that significant economic potentials provided opportunities for establishing cooperation in many fields, particularly science and te chnology. It was necessary to ascertain, as soon as possible, institutional frame works of cooperation, by concluding accords between the two countries' go vernments. The potentials of the two countries' scientific organizations are a good basis for establishing future cooperation. To that effect, Ambassador Sa sson handed Minister Zelenovic a draft Accord on cultural, educational an d scientific cooperation between Israel and Yugoslavia, the statement sai d. Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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