OMRI Daily Digest II,No. 72, 11 April 1995

From: "Steve Iatrou" <siatrou@hilbert.cdsp.neu.edu>

[01] EU PROVIDES "ROUGH GUIDE" TO MEMBERSHIP. The EU provided a "rough guide"

[02] UN CALLS IN NATO FLIGHTS OVER SARAJEVO. AFP reported on 11 April that

[03] RUSSIAN GENERAL SACKED IN EASTERN CROATIA. The 11 April Frankfurter

[04] SERBIAN UPDATE. Nasa Borba on 11 April reports that representatives of

[05] MACEDONIA RULES OUT FEDERATION WITH NEIGHBORS. In an interview with

[06] GENERAL WARNING-STRIKE IN ALBANIA. The Albanian independent trade unions

[07] TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER IN ALBANIA. Turkish Defense Minister Mehmet

[08] BULGARIANS SAY DETAINED ARMS ARE NOT BULGARIAN. Bulgarian government

OMRI DAILY DIGEST

No. 72, Part II, 11 April 1995

EAST-CENTRAL EUROPE

[01] EU PROVIDES "ROUGH GUIDE" TO MEMBERSHIP.

The EU provided a "rough guide" to membership at its meeting of foreign ministers 10 April, Western agencies reported. The foreign ministers of six East European states-- Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia-- joined the meeting as the first example of "structured dialogue" agreed to at the EU summit in Essen in December 1994. The EU commissioner for foreign relations, Hans van den Broek, sketched an outline of the EU White Paper on membership requirements set to be unveiled later in April. Although Polish Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski said he and his East European colleagues were glad to see that the EU moving ahead with its plans to expand eastward, he added, "We'd be happier if the plan had time-tables and more specific facts." He also noted that the EU should provide incentives for Eastern Europe to adapt its economies to suit EU policies. Hungarian Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs welcomed the opportunity to meet with his EU counterparts. "Every meeting brings these countries closer to the EU; after every meeting we understand each other a little better," he said. -- Michael Mihalka, OMRI, Inc. SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

[02] UN CALLS IN NATO FLIGHTS OVER SARAJEVO.

AFP reported on 11 April that NATO aircraft flew in pairs over the Bosnia capital for several hours the previous night. The UN called them in for at least the third time in a week in the face of repeated Serb shelling. The Bosnian government has banned public gatherings, including outdoor cafes and markets, as of 11 April to help prevent further casualties at the hands of Serb gunners and snipers. Elsewhere, Serb and Croat forces on 10 April clashed near Zepce to the north of Sarajevo, while government artillery wounded five civilians in Serb-held Teslic. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

[03] RUSSIAN GENERAL SACKED IN EASTERN CROATIA.

The 11 April Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that the Russian general in charge of UN forces in Sector East of Serb-held Croatia has been relieved of his command. The paper says this indirectly confirms a Croatian government charge in late March that the general at least covered the movement of 900 Serbian troops and 20 or more tanks from Serbia into Sector East (see OMRI Daily Digest, 30 March). The UN subsequently tried to avoid confirming the report, which Croatia maintained was true and which seemed to fit into a larger pattern of Serbian support for the Krajina rebels. Croatia suspects Russian peacekeepers of sympathizing with and aiding the Serbs, as well as of dealing heavily on the thriving black market. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

[04] SERBIAN UPDATE.

Nasa Borba on 11 April reports that representatives of the international Contact Group are heading to Belgrade for what appears to be another round of attempts to convince Serbian authorities to extend recognition to Bosnia and Croatia in exchange for an easing of sanctions against rump Yugoslavia. This latest diplomatic initiative comes, however, in the wake of Belgrade's reinvigorated resistance to such proposals. On 10 April Tanjug and Reuters quoted rump Yugoslav Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic as saying that "We do not wish to repeat the mistake the European Community and then others in the international community made by prematurely recognizing the former Yugoslav republics. That was not wise." Meanwhile, Tanjug reports of 10 April suggested also that Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, following meetings with China's visiting foreign minister, has focused attention on urging Beijing to exert pressure on the international community to have sanctions against Belgrade lifted. -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.

[05] MACEDONIA RULES OUT FEDERATION WITH NEIGHBORS.

In an interview with Macedonian radio on 8 April, President Kiro Gligorov ruled out the possibility of a Yugoslav or Balkan federation or confederation, saying it would "only lead to new divisions and new conflicts in the Balkans," Nasa Borba reported on 10 April. Politika cited Gligorov as saying his country will not consider participating in any federation "based on ideological, religious, ethnic of other foundations." Considering any kind of "organic" ties with neighboring states is possible only if all Balkan states have a democratic and European orientation, Gligorov stated. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

[06] GENERAL WARNING-STRIKE IN ALBANIA.

The Albanian independent trade unions announced a one-hour long general strike, beginning at 11:OO on 11 April. The unions expect 70,000 workers in the education, telecom and hospitals to join the strike, Gazeta Shqiptare reported on 11 April. According to the unions, during the strike no telephone lines will be working in Albania and only the emergency departments of the hospitals will be served. The strikers demand a wage increase of about 35% to cover increases in consumer prices. The unions warned that a 24-hour long general strike might follow on 22 April, if the strikers' demands will not be met. The government, however, had announced earlier that the state's current finances do not allow it to meet the demands. -- Fabian Schmidt, OMRI, Inc.

[07] TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER IN ALBANIA.

Turkish Defense Minister Mehmet Golhan began a three-day visit to Albania on 10 April, Reuters reported the same day. Golhan is expected to work out an agreement on bilateral military ties which will be signed during the visit. Golhan, who will also meet with President Sali Berisha and visit military units, said: "The visit will develop our relations more deeply and is another measure in stopping the spillover of the (Yugoslav) conflict down in the south." Meanwhile, Albanian Foreign Minister Alfred Serreqi is paying a two-day visit to Croatia, Rilindja Demokratike reported on 11 April. Serreqi is expected to meet with his counterpart Mate Granic and Croatian Prime Minister Nikica Valentic and to sign a cooperation agreement with Croatia. -- Fabian Schmidt, OMRI, Inc.

[08] BULGARIANS SAY DETAINED ARMS ARE NOT BULGARIAN.

Bulgarian government officials and representatives of Air Sofia denied that the weapons on board of an airplane detained in Cap Verde on 9 April (see OMRI Daily Digest, 10 April 1995) came from Bulgaria, Bulgarian media reported on 11 April. Ivan Kolev, deputy chairman of the Council for Trade with Military and Special Products, stated that no Bulgarian arms were on board the Antonov AN-124, and that Bulgaria has no part in the arms deal with Ecuador. A Bulgarian company was just the intermediate between the producer and the buyer. Duma said that the plane came from Minsk in Belarus and did not fly over Bulgarian territory. According to Kontinent, the Air Sofia plane was leased by a company in Minsk which has a license to export arms. BTA cited Air Sofia Chairman Evgeniy Neychev as saying that competitors tried to defame his company. Demokratsiya notes, however, that Air Sofia was involved in a failed attempt to transport arms to Sarajevo or Zagreb in 1993. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media Research Institute, a Prague-based nonprofit organization.

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