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Serbia Today 96-08-30
Serbia Today
30 August 1996
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES JOHN CORNBLUM
[02] CORNBLUM: DETERMINATION FOR THE ELECTIONS TO BE HELD AS PLANNED
[03] YUGOSLAVIA HAS FULFILLED ALL THE CONDITIONS
[04] EUROPE CAN BECOME AN OASIS OF PEACE
[05] FROWICK THANKS YUGOSLAVIA
[06] O.S.C.E. DISAGREES WITH THE SDA DECISION TO BOYCOTT THE ELECTIONS
[07] REACTIONS TO POSTPONEMENT OF LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA
[08] IN CROATIA LAWLESSNESS TOWARDS SERBS REIGNS
[09] SIX SERBS TAKEN DURING THE NIGHT FROM RIJEKA
[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES JOHN CORNBLUM
President of the Republic Slobodan Milosevic received Deputy U.S.
Secretary of State John Cornblum, who is heading the American team on a visit
to Belgrade. During the talks it was emphasized that it is necessary to
persevere in the consistent implementation of the peace agreement, and
especially in keeping up with the determined dynamics of elections and
establishment of legal institutions, which are to make possible normalization
of the life of citizens and their mutual relations. The importance was
underlined of normalization of the mutual Yugoslav-Croat relations for the
consolidation of the political situation in the region of the Balkans, as an
undoubtedly the strongest factor which is to enable not only elimination of
tensions and elimination of crisis in former Yugoslavia, but also the
reaffirmation of the process of cooperation and realization of mutual
interests of the Balkan states and peoples, on the basis of equality and
mutual respect. The belief was also expressed that very soon there will be a
rounding-up of the process of bilateral relations between our country and the
United States. (Politika, August 30, 1996)
[02] CORNBLUM: DETERMINATION FOR THE ELECTIONS TO BE HELD AS PLANNED
Deputy U.S. Secretary of State John Cornblum stated that he had
constructive talks with President Milosevic about the most important questions
of the peace process. "I strongly emphasized the importance of establishing
all the conditions necessary for holding of the honest, viable and efficient
elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina", said Cornblum and reiterated readiness of
the United States and of the international community for the elections to be
held as planned. "In the part of talks pertaining to the post-electoral period
in Bosnia I have underlined the necessity for cooperation between all the
sides in the formation of joint institutions after the elections", said
Cornblum and added that for the Republic of Srpska it is especially important
"to take part fully and positively' in the work of the joint institutions.
(Politika, August 30, 1996)
[03] YUGOSLAVIA HAS FULFILLED ALL THE CONDITIONS
Chief of the Yugoslav delegation at the negotiations with the IMF,
Prof.Dr. Oskar Kovac, who was yesterday in the Chamber of the Republics of the
Federal Parliament (Assembly) elaborating on the report of the Federal
Government, had talks with the press. While answering the question when can
Yugoslavia expect normalization of the relations with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), Kovac said: "Ten days after the completion of the
elections in Bosnia, General Assembly i.e. the Security Council will
automatically lift sanctions against Yugoslavia, which can raise with full
right the question of its membership in the IMF, United Nations and the World
Bank, because we have fulfilled all the conditions". When asked whether the
postponement of the local elections in Bosnia can disturb this timetable,
Kovac answered that it cannot, because the Resolution on the suspension of
sanctions, in accordance with the Dayton Agreement, is prescribing successful
elections for the central and not for the local authorities. (Borba, August 30, 1996)
[04] EUROPE CAN BECOME AN OASIS OF PEACE
Vice President of the Austrian Parliament Alfred Gerstl stated yesterday
in Belgrade that Europe can become an oasis of peace and tolerance only when
the approach towards Serbia becomes open and with understanding. The well-
known Austrian anti-Fascist who had found refuge during World War Two with the
Yugoslav partisans, stated for the "Privredni pregled" newspaper that
Yugoslavia was one of the most important trading partners of Austria, and that
it is high time for Austria to establish again useful economic relations. He
underlined that investors from Germany and other economically developed
countries have long ago recognized Serbia as a potentially strong partner.
Gerstl announced that in mid-September a state and economic delegation of
Austria will visit Belgrade and expressed hope that strong economic links will
be established between the two countries. (Borba, August 30, 1996)
[05] FROWICK THANKS YUGOSLAVIA
Chief of the mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (O.S.C.E.) in Bosnia Robert Frowick, thanked President of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic for the great contribution of the FR of
Yugoslavia to the successful registration of citizens from Bosnia-Herzegovina
for the forthcoming elections in Bosnia. "We wish to thank your Government for
such a brilliant contribution to this historically unique event", underlines
Frowick in his letter and states that the process of registration is a very
important step towards the September elections. Frowick points out that after
enormous efforts of all the host-countries and of all the authorities
entrusted with electoral preparations, 641,000 citizens-voters from Bosnia-
Herzegovina had been registered. (Politika, August 30, 1996)
[06] O.S.C.E. DISAGREES WITH THE SDA DECISION TO BOYCOTT THE ELECTIONS
The call to boycott elections abroad, sent yesterday to the refugees by
the main Muslim parties, could disturb the entire course of the elections in
Bosnia, state the observer circles in Sarajevo. The call for boycott suggests
that the Bosnian political scene, only two weeks before the elections, is
entering the phase when almost no one can foresee who will take part at those
elections, and even if at all they will be held. Muslim ruling Party of
Democratic Action and all the other leading Muslim opposition parties are
threatening to boycott the entire elections if the O.S.C.E. does not change
its decision saying that the refugees can chose in which places they will take
part at the elections. They claim that this is making possible for Serbs to
achieve domination in towns in which until the war Muslims were a majority,
although in the same way, it is made possible for Muslims to achieve
domination in towns in which Serbs or Croats before the war were the majority.
"We do not agree with the SDA decision to boycott the elections", states the
O.S.C.E. (Borba, August 30, 1996)
[07] REACTIONS TO POSTPONEMENT OF LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA
Christian Housewirt, the Swiss ambassador in Bosnia-Herzegovina, who is
residing there for a year now, stated for the Losane daily "Nuovo Cotidien"
that through the postponement of the municipal elections for November it is
not possible in only two months to perform registration again of the voters,
which was the alleged reason for postponement of the elections. "SDA has
threatened and demanded postponement of the elections in municipalities. In my
opinion it is a political game aimed at making further pressure on the
O.S.C.E.", says the ambassador.
Reasons for the postponement of the local elections in Bosnia are much
more profound than it is being presented, states the leading Chinese daily
"Genmin Gibao". While analyzing the problems which will appear through the
postponement of the elections, the newspaper is asking the following question:
"How is it possible that for the West the constituent body for the general
elections is satisfactory and for the local elections it is irregular?". The
newspaper also asks how will the newly-elected central government cooperate
with the old local political parties, and concludes with concern that there
are no bright perspectives that a 'green light' will be lighted soon for the
peace process.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia is of the view that failure of the
elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina must not be allowed, scheduled for September
14, 1996 and is calling on all the Bosnian sides to respect their obligations,
and on the O.S.C.E. to be impartial and moderate. In the communique of the
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs it is stated that the decision of the
Temporary Electoral Commission on the postponement of the local elections "is
causing regret" and is once again showing enormous difficulties encountered on
the path of the peace process. (Politika ekspres, August 30, 1996)
[08] IN CROATIA LAWLESSNESS TOWARDS SERBS REIGNS
In his latest report submitted to the Security Council on the respect of
human rights in Croatia, the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali for
the first time is listing in the smallest detail a series of concrete cases of
serious violation of these rights against members of the Serbian people. It is
clearly stated that the climate prevails of lawlessness which is causing a
justified anxiety among the remaining Serbs, especially in the region of Knin.
It is evident that the Government in Zagreb did not provided efficient
measures for protection of Serbian population and many new cases have been
recorded of plunder and harassment of citizens. Over the last month's time the
state of facts has even further deteriorated, and members of the non-
governmental humanitarian organizations are exposed to brutal harassment and
insults. Since Serbs are not guaranteed safety, the process of their return is
having a very slow pace. In the meantime, tens of thousands of Croats are
taking possession of the abandoned Serbian regions and it is concluded that
the Government in Zagreb is seriously disturbing the ethnic balance in these
regions. In the report Croat Government is being criticized for the delay in
apprehension of those indicted by The Hague Tribunal for war crimes, for
refusing to accept the general amnesty for all the former members of the
Republic of Serbian Krajina Army and for not securing minority rights which
the Serbian people have lost through the recent constitutional amendments.
Ghali did not suggest on this occasion any concrete measures against Zagreb,
leaving this to the discretion of the Security Council. (Politika, August 30, 1996)
[09] SIX SERBS TAKEN DURING THE NIGHT FROM RIJEKA
Two days after signing of the agreement on normalization of the
relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia, yet another very shameful event
happened against Serbs who have for years been living in Croatia. From the
collection center for foreigners in Rijeka, suddenly during the night, six
citizens of Serbian nationality were taken to an unknown destination and
according to all the indications they were deported from Croatia. These Serbs
have been living for years in Rijeka, they had jobs there and had founded
families. Drago Puljanovic, Bogdan Mandic, Dragan Kstanovic, Milan Ninkovic,
Rade Karaca and Nevenka Obradovic, with only plastic bags in their hands, were
taken somewhere on the frontier with Bosnia-Herzegovina. Their families can
neither in the Rijeka police station obtain any information about them. These
citizens for a long time now were detained in the collection center, awaiting
the solution of their status. "It is a question here of people who have never
broken any laws and who are having all the legal conditions for stay in
Croatia", says the activist of the humanitarian organization "Suncokret"
Danica Vejvoda in today's issue of "Novi list" newspaper. She is stating that
the citizens were deported just when they were hoping to solve their status.
Families of the deported persons have announced a hunger-strike if no one is
to inform them where their family members were taken. (Politika, August 30, 1996)
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