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Serbia Today 96-06-12
Serbia Today
12 June 1996
CONTENTS
[01] TRUE SUPPORT FOR MILOSEVIC
[02] ALWAYS ALONGSIDE YUGOSLAVIA
[03] COOPERATION AGREEMENTS WITH CHINA AND ROMANIA
[04] KLEIN: THE SERBS NEED NOT WORRY
[05] SDA IS SETTLING MOSLEMS IN SARAJEVO FOR THE ELECTIONS
[06] MORE MUJAHEDINS THAN WASHINGTON SAYS
[07] CONTROVERSIAL STATUS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA
[08] THE WEU MISSION ON THE DANUBE HAS BEEN CONCLUDED
[01] TRUE SUPPORT FOR MILOSEVIC
Mr. Grigory Karassin - Spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated the Russian
initiative for an early
abolition of sanctions against FR Yugoslavia. This proposal has been first presented by Russian Foreign
Minister Yevgeny Primakov at the Contact Group meeting held in Berlin at the beginning of June, affirming that
such a move of the international community in favor of Yugoslavia would be highly justified. "We firmly believe
that this would be a timely step, because it would strengthen and improve the position of Serbian President
Milosevic, since his constructive efforts have become one of the prime factors of the positive evolution of the Dayton
Agreement." - Mr. Karassin said. He also indicated that Moscow is pleased with the fact that the Russian
partners in the Contact Group "are gradually abandoning the unfounded and counterproductive idea of renewing the
sanctions against Yugoslavia for this or that reason." None of these excuses - including the so-called question of
extradition of Radovan Karadzic to the Hague Tribunal, can not measure up with the priority of the
implementation of the most important articles of the peace agreement, especially with the elections in Bosnia - stressed the
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman. (Borba, June 6, 1996)
[02] ALWAYS ALONGSIDE YUGOSLAVIA
The President of Zimbabwe - Dr. Robert Mugabe, stated in an interview broadcast by Serbian
Radio-Television, that his country was the only one to vote against the UN sanctions, because it did not forget the aid it
received from Yugoslavia during the liberation struggle. "This was the prime source of our courage, and why we
offered support to Yugoslavia" said Dr. Mugabe - who will arrive in Yugoslavia today. Zimbabwe endorsed the
same stand at the recent Non Aligned Summit in Columbia when it opposed the membership of Bosnia and
Herzegovina in the Non Aligned movement. "We have said that if Bosnia and Herzegovina is admitted, then Yugoslavia has to
be readmitted to the movement. We opposed the stand of certain pro-Moslem countries that wanted to punish
Yugoslavia", said Dr. Mugabe adding that at the next Non Aligned meeting - even of a ministerial level, the
return of Yugoslavia into the movement should be discussed. (Borba, June 6, 1996)
[03] COOPERATION AGREEMENTS WITH CHINA AND ROMANIA
The Federal Government submitted to the Yugoslav Parliament the draft laws confirming the
Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation with the People's Republic of China, and the Agreement on Scientific and
Technical cooperation with Romania. The agreement on cooperation with China stresses that the two countries grant
each other the status of most favored nation for products originated in their territory, and assume the
commitment to encourage companies to promote trade and other forms of cooperation. The agreement on cooperation
with Romania underscores that such cooperation will involve joint research in concrete projects, exchange of experts,
exchange of scientific information and documentation, organization of conferences, symposiums etc. (Politika, June
6, 1996)
[04] KLEIN: THE SERBS NEED NOT WORRY
General Jacques Klein - International Administrator for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western
Srem - stated yesterday in Belgrade, at the Institute for International Politics and Economy, that the normalization process
has begun in this region. "We hope that this region will become a bridge between Yugoslavia and Croatia.
We are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the Serbs living there, as well as for the Croats or
minorities that have returned. As long as my mission is present there - and I have 5.000 well trained men, no one will
be expelled." Asked to comment the latest interpretation of the Croatian Law on Amnesty, Mr. Klein expressed
dissatisfaction with the law and with its provisions. He reminded that he discussed the law in New York
with UN Security Council members. He revealed that the Chinese Ambassador asked for official clarifications
from Croatia, and the international community will continue its efforts in this sense, because "our goal is to have
the law cover 99 per cent of the Serbs." (Politika, June 6, 1996)
[05] SDA IS SETTLING MOSLEMS IN SARAJEVO FOR THE ELECTIONS
Moslem opposition parties in Bosnia accused the ruling Democratic Action Party (SDA - headed
by Alija Izetbegovic) of having forced Moslem refugees from Tuzla to settle in Sarajevo in order to secure a victory
at the forthcoming elections - Associated Press reports. Two opposition social democratic parties that joined
forces and have been governing the Tuzla County for the past five years, accused the SDA of covering up
the transfer of Moslems, which is apparently spontaneous but is actually well organized. By transferring the
refuges, the SDA plans to create a critical electoral mass that it can rely on in the elections - said Mr. Ivo Divkovic -
Chairman of the Tuzla Municipal Council. Associated Press reminds that before the violent secession of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, the people of Tuzla voted in favor of Bosnia remaining part of the Yugoslav community.
According to the same news agency, the refugees are now being offered up to 1,700 German marks for the purchase of
construction material and 300 marks in cash to settle in ex-Serbian homes in Sarajevo. The "Slobodna
Bosna" (Free Bosnia) daily reported in may that 10,000 Moslems from various parts of Bosnia settled in the Sarajevo
suburb of Vogosca abandoned by the Serbs. (Politika, June 6, 1996)
[06] MORE MUJAHEDINS THAN WASHINGTON SAYS
General Michael Walker - head of the IFOR land forces, stated that in Bosnia there are far more
Mujahedins than Washington affirms. Speaking to a group of reporters in Ilidza, gen. Walker remarked that according to
IFOR data the number of "Islamic warriors" in Bosnia is greater than the four Iranians quoted recently by the State
Department. "I have no idea where did the State Department get such information" - said the British
general.
He revealed that according to IFOR evidence there are between 100 and 200 pro-Iranian "Islamic warriors"
in Bosnia. (Politika, June 6, 1996)
[07] CONTROVERSIAL STATUS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA
Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic arrived yesterday in Oslo (Norway) to sign the
Agreement on the Regional Arms Control. The signing ceremony scheduled to take place yesterday afternoon, has been
postponed due to the additional conditions presented by the Moslem side. Mr. Ingvar Hanven - spokesman of the
Norwegian Foreign Ministry revealed that the controversy involves the names that would grant official status
to the signatories of the agreement. No consent has been reached yet concerning the status of the republic of
Srpska - whether it be a fully pledged signatory or be treated as a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina - as the
Moslem delegation insisted. The Yugoslav constructive stands regarding the issues treated by the agreement are
well known and they are no obstacle for the signing of the document on regional arms control. (Borba, June 6, 1996)
[08] THE WEU MISSION ON THE DANUBE HAS BEEN CONCLUDED
Tuesday at midnight the Western European Union mission ended its assignment on the Danube
where it had been controlling the implementation of the international embargo introduced by the UN Security Council against
FR Yugoslavia. Operating from three Danubian ports: Ruse (Bulgaria), Kalafat (Romania) and Mohach
(Hungary) WEU officials checked more than 2.000 ships sailing along the Danube in accordance with the UN Security
Council resolution. The supervision of the river transports on the Danube has been terminated in accordance with
the suspension of sanctions after the signing of the Dayton Agreement. In the past several years, the river
transport on this part of the Danube practically disappeared - creating major losses for the economies of Yugoslavia,
Bulgaria, Romania and Russia. (TANJUG, June 6, 1996)
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