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Serbia Today 96-05-31
Serbia Today
31 May 1996
CONTENTS
[01] PEACE PROCESS IS BEING SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED
[02] PRIMAKOV: I AM LEAVING BELGRADE WITH OPTIMISM
[03] SPECIAL STATUS OF SERBS
[04] EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE CROAT SABOR
[05] COMPANY 'MPRI' TO TRAIN THE MUSLIMS
[06] SEARCH IN VAIN FOR THE MASS GRAVES
[07] CROAT WITHOUT RIGHTS IN VARES, MUSLIMS WITHOUT RIGHTS IN JAJCE
[01] PEACE PROCESS IS BEING SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED
President of the Republic Slobodan Milosevic received yesterday Minister of Foreign Affairs of
the Russian Federation Yevgeny Primakov, who is with his associates on an official visit in the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia. During the talks, in a friendly atmosphere of mutual openness and understanding,
it was underlined that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation are linked with stable
friendly relations, based on equality, confidence and traditional closeness of peoples. Great mutual interest
was expressed for further successful development of bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of
economics. During the meeting, there was a special exchange of views about political developments and the
situation in the Balkans and it was concluded that the peace process in Bosnia is being successfully
implemented. The commenced process of normalization in the region of former Yugoslavia is the safest
way towards elimination of consequences of the Yugoslav crisis. In this respect, it is especially important
that the international factors, including the Russian Federation, should support development of future
relations on the basis of equality and affirmation of the own responsibility of the Balkan peoples for their
future. During the talks, the importance was underlined of a direct and continuous political dialogue
between Belgrade and Moscow. (Politika, May 31, 1996)
[02] PRIMAKOV: I AM LEAVING BELGRADE WITH OPTIMISM
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Yevgeny Primakov, who had meetings
during his two-day visit to the FR of Yugoslavia with the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Zoran Lilic, with President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic, President of Montenegro Momir Bulatovic,
Federal Prime Minister Radoje Kontic and the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Milutinovic,
stated that he is leaving Belgrade with the feeling of optimism. Qualifying highly the results of the visit,
Primakov said that the Yugoslav leadership is absolutely convinced that all the peace agreements should be
fulfilled and that it is necessary for the elections to be held on time, because this will lead to the
stabilization of the situation in Bosnia. He added: "This will also make it possible for the Republic of
Srpska for the first time to obtain legitimacy, but also for the sanctions to be abolished", although in his
opinion, they should be abolished even earlier. Upon his return to Moscow, Primakov stated that he is
opposed to the attempts by the western countries to bring to trial the leader of the Bosnian Serbs Radovan
Karadzic for the war crimes and in this connection for the new economic sanctions to be imposed on
Belgrade. Regarding the prosecution of Karadzic, Primakov said that "this line is counter-productive, if it is
only instigating difficulties and even destroying the peace process". Imposing of sanctions again against
Belgrade would mean termination of the peace process, with all the consequences of such a risk, and a
danger for the peace forces of the western countries, and weakening of their political and diplomatic efforts,
underlined Primakov. (Politika, May 31, 1996)
[03] SPECIAL STATUS OF SERBS
The initiative of the Assembly of Vukovar for the Serbian Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and
Western Srem to request a special status within Croatia, was supported also by the deputies of the municipal
assemblies of Tenja and Mirkovci. Special status of the Region would mean that its inhabitants would have
their own assembly and government, their own police, right to the regional citizenship and passport, their
own or some other corresponding currency, school curriculum, national anthem, coat-of-arms, flag and
economic self-management. This concept also foresees a permanent demilitarization of the Region. This
initiative will be discussed over the next few days by the deputies of the municipal assemblies of Beli
Manastir and Dalj. In the meantime, the spokesman of the UNTS, Phillip Arnold, stated that Serbs in this
Region must define their requests towards the authorities of Croatia. "Serbs must state their requests clearly,
especially regarding the ethnic and cultural autonomy", said Arnold. While commenting on the Law on
Amnesty, which was recently adopted by the Croat Sabor (Parliament), Arnold said that UNTS agrees with
the UN Security Council in this that the Law must cover all the Serbs who have taken part in the war in the
territory of Croatia, and not only those who are present in Eastern Slavonia. (Vecernje novosti, May 31,
1996)
[04] EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE CROAT SABOR
The Board of Anti-Fascists in the Social-Democratic Union (SDU) in Zagreb has sent to the
President of the Croat Sabor (Parliament) Vlatko Pavletic, an open letter, asking two very pressing
questions. The first question is: "When are you going to organize commemoration and personally speak in
Jasenovac, which is known throughout the world as the Fascist execution grounds and torture chamber, as
you have done this May 12th in Bleiburg?". Croat anti-fascists in the SDU are also asking when will the
commemorative wreaths of the Sabor be placed on the grave of the national hero in Mirogoj Cemetery and
on the Partisans cemetery, "just like you have this May 12th placed the commemorative wreaths on the
monument to the Bleiburg victims in Mirogoj?", and they conclude: "Are we now on the occasion of 51st
anniversary of the victory over Fascism again celebrating and glorifying only one (and defeated forces), and
it is shameful and undignified to be silent about the other, partisan victims, of the World War Two?".
(Politika, May 31, 1996)
[05] COMPANY 'MPRI' TO TRAIN THE MUSLIMS
Muslim-Croat Federation has selected the firm "MPRI" from Virginia to arm and train its army,
the U.S. State Department reports. The spokesman Nicholas Burns said that this company was chosen after
17 months of negotiations but that the contract will not be signed for as long as the Iranian and other
foreign mercenaries who were fighting on the Muslim side, do not leave Bosnia. The value of this contract
is not mentioned, but the U.S. officials are estimating that the total costs of "Training and equipment" will
amount to some 700-800 million US dollars. (Politika ekspres, May 31, 1996)
[06] SEARCH IN VAIN FOR THE MASS GRAVES
Six representatives of The Hague Criminal Tribunal for the War Crimes in Former Yugoslavia,
escorted by the IFOR in the area of Zvornik and Srebrenica, have spent two days ago the entire day
searching in vain for the alleged mass graves. Although they have visited several locations, they did not
find any mass graves which are being talked about high and loud by the Muslim media and some media in
the world. Numerous reporter crews from the West, among them the crew of the U.S. CNN television,
remained without the expected exclusive information. (Borba, May 31, 1996)
[07] CROAT WITHOUT RIGHTS IN VARES, MUSLIMS WITHOUT RIGHTS IN JAJCE
Deputies of the HDZ (Croat Democratic Community party) have boycotted for the third time in a
row over the past month, the convened session of the Assembly of the municipality of Vares, at which
session they were to constitute joint Muslim-Croat government bodies. Vares is one of those municipalities
in the Muslim-Croat Federation in which, in spite of all the decisions by the international mediators and
arbiters, the Constitution of the Federation is still not being applied, claim both the Muslim and the Croat
radios.
Some 270 Muslim families, which have returned from the exile to their homes in Jajce, have threatened to
leave again because of the hard conditions of living under the Croat rule, reports the Muslim Radio
Sarajevo. Muslims in this city are deprived of all the human, political and national rights, as well as of the
right to work, claims the same source. Representative of the Muslims, exiled from Jajce, has accused the
HVO (Croat Defense Council) and HDZ (Croat Democratic Community party) of preventing in an
organized way the return of Muslims to their home town. (Borba, May 31, 1996)
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