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Serbia Today 96-09-17Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia Today17 September 1996CONTENTS
[01] ELECTIONS ARE A PEACEFUL VICTORYChina welcomed the elections in Bosnia as an event marking "a new and important stage" in the peace process. Recalling that China was always of the view that crisis should be solved by peaceful means, the spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that all the interested parties will "use the chance" for establishing peaceful coexistence.Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yevgeny Primakov stated that at the elections in Bosnia "a very important step has been made" in the process of normalization of all the peoples in this region and that now in Bosnia "prerequisites have been made for further progress of the peace process". Russia will together with the other leading factors in the regulation of the Bosnian crisis, continue to give active contribution to the implementation of the peace agreement, said Primakov. Bosnian elections are a great peaceful victory, state the British commentators and especially underline that during the voting there were no serious problems. In the light of such a qualification, in London a noticeably little attention is given to the protest of the Muslim Party of Democratic Action and its leader Alija Izetbegovic. "The Financial Times" is underlining the statement by Richard Halbrooke that the Muslim protest was a long ago planned and anticipated move, and states that Izetbegovic at any cost wishes to be the first president of the three-member Bosnian Presidency. In the British reports it is emphasized that the success of the elections is cause for dissatisfaction of some of the world reporters who were expecting problems in the Republic of Srpska. "The Daily Telegraph" writes that some of them were even taking in their own cars Muslim refugees for voting in the Republic of Srpska, expecting problems there, which would verify their in advance concocted story. French Government in its official statement, expressed satisfaction with the success of the Bosnian elections, announcing the new phase in the peace efforts having the aim the construction of a multi-ethnic and democratic Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the seat of the French diplomacy it is underlined that the international community is determined even more energetically to continue and successfully complete over the next two years the peace process, for which it has obtained new impetus from the Bosnian elections. (TANJUG, Politika, September 17, 1996) [02] ELECTORAL RESULTS FOR PRESIDENCY OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA WILL BE KNOWN TODAYElectoral results for the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina consisting of candidates from all the three peoples, will be probably announced today, stated the chef of mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (O.S.C.E.) Robert Frowick. According to the preliminary results which arrived from 20 municipalities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the leading are the candidates of the three national parties. Leader of the Muslim Party of Democratic Action Alija Izetbegovic obtained 92,928 votes, the present President of Parliament of the Republic of Srpska and candidate of the Serbian Democratic Party Momcilo Krajisnik obtained 89,701 votes, and the candidate of the Croat Democratic Community Kresimir Zubak 40,344 votes. Frowick said that he agrees with the conclusion of the chief of the international observers that at the elections in Bosnia "there were no major irregularities". (Borba, September 17, 1996)[03] MORE THAN 90,000 REFUGEES VOTEDAt the elections in the Republic of Srpska in the organization of the Commission of the Federal Government for Assistance to Refugees in voting, some of the home-country associations, or in their own organization, some 90,000 refugees-eligible voters took part at the elections, who are now living in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Bratislava Morina, President of the Commission of the Federal Government, says that departure of the refugees, voting and their return to the FR of Yugoslavia took place well. "We are expecting the results which will determine the future of the Republic of Srpska, but also the future of refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina, since a large number of people decided for the return to the Republic of Srpska. We are hoping for the best also because from the success of the elections depends lifting of sanctions against Yugoslavia", said Morina. (Politika ekspres, September 17, 1996)[04] WORLD AWARD TO THE YUGOSLAV EXPERTSProfessional work of a team of the Belgrade physicians from the Institute for Neurosurgery of the Clinical Center of Serbia, entitled "Fire-Arm Injuries of the Bronchial Plexus" at the recently held International Conference on the Latest Achievements in Neuro-traumatology in Rimini, was proclaimed as the best one. This success was achieved in the competition of over one thousand works of the participants from 47 countries of the world. The recognition to the authors of this project - Prof.Dr. Miroslav Samardzic, Prof.Dr. Vasa Antunovic, Dr. Danica Grujicic and Dr. Lukas Rasuli was awarded by the Committee for Neuro-traumatology of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. (Vecernje novosti, September 17, 1996)[05] COOPERATION IN FAVOR OF FRIENDSHIPIn Athens the meeting started between the representatives of the Greek state television of the Radio Television Serbia, about the program and production cooperation. The agreement on cooperation and program exchange which will be signed today, will considerably promote cultural cooperation between Greece and our country, which will bring about even better mutual knowledge of our peoples and deepening of the traditionally friendly relations. (Borba, September 17, 1996)[06] CROATIA PROTESTS BECAUSE OF THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL QUALIFICATIONSCroatia expressed its protest to The Hague International Criminal Tribunal for War Crimes because of its qualifications that Zagreb was "both directly and indirectly" involved in the conflict between Croats and Muslims in Bosnia, reports the Croat state agency HINA, whose report is transmitted by the British BBC. While confirming the indictment against the General of the Croat Defense Council Ivica Rajic, The Hague Tribunal announced that there is evidence that the Republic of Croatia was involved in the conflict in Bosnia. Its military units were present in Bosnia from the end of 1992 until March of 1994, they were sent by the Croat government and they, together with the forces of the Bosnian Croats, were engaged in fighting against the Bosnian government, reports the Trial Chamber. In the letter of protest sent to the President of The Hague Tribunal the chief of the Croat diplomacy Mate Granic says that he is concerned over the decision of the Tribunal because "it may increase tensions in Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially at the time which is crucial for the implementation of the Dayton Agreement". (Politika, September 17, 1996)[07] SUPPLEMENT TO THE NEWS BRIEFS: "CRUCIAL ROLE OF BELGRADE"Successful holding of the first post-war elections in the Republic of Srpska, in the Muslim-Croat Federation and at the level of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and which was confirmed by the high representatives of the international community, representatives of many government and reports from the spot, are opening wide the doors for the full realization of the Dayton Peace Agreement and, in this context, for the final lifting of sanctions against Yugoslavia.This stand was confirmed also during the meeting two days ago between the President of the Republic Slobodan Milosevic and the Deputy U.S. Secretary of State John Cornblum and also previously in the talks between President Milosevic and the main architect of the Dayton Peace Agreement Richard Halbrooke. President Milosevic during his talk with Halbrooke, while commenting on the importance and far reaches of the elections in Bosnia, said that "there are many reasons for optimism", striving for a prompt reconstruction of the war-thorn areas and constitution of the legally elected government bodies in both entities and at the level of Bosnia-Herzegovina. These strives of President Milosevic and his views about the importance of the Bosnian elections are only the continuation of the principled political position which Serbia and the FR of Yugoslavia had from the very beginning of crisis in the former central Yugoslav republic. Namely, leadership of Serbia and Yugoslavia were striving for an equitable treatment of all the three constituent peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina, insisting on an impartial approach of the international community and all mediators who took part in the search for a way out of the Bosnian dead-end street. The fact that both Halbrooke and Cornblum immediately after the elections in Bosnia came first to Belgrade, to inform President Milosevic of this event and discuss the activities which will follow, is an evident proof that Washington is still giving Belgrade the crucial role in the peace process in Bosnia and in the area of entire former Yugoslavia. It should be mentioned that it was the insistence of Belgrade on exclusively the peaceful solution of the crisis in Bosnia, starting with the support of the Vance-Owen and the Contact Group Plan up to the adoption of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which is today a fact openly admitted and respected by all the main centers of political power in the world, headed by the United States. Such a policy has gained full international affirmation and recognition by the adoption of the Dayton Agreement, securing for the Serbian people in Bosnia full guarantees for equality and a peaceful life in the community of three ethnic groups. The objective and rational approach of Belgrade to the solution of the crisis in Bosnia certainly would have received earlier the recognition of the international community if the leadership in Pale on many occasions, during the past three years, did not unjustifiably refuse all the offered plans of the mediators for termination of war and peaceful regulation of crisis. Such an irresponsible behavior and lethal politics, especially during the year 1994 and for most part of the past year, have caused for the Republic of Srpska enormous material destruction and unnecessary human casualties. The turn happened only after the adoption of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The past period and events which have taken place, including the elections of two days ago, have convincingly proved the justification of the orientation towards a peaceful regulation of conflict, with full protection of legitimate rights and interests of the Serbian people. Serbia and Yugoslavia will undoubtedly continue to consistently support such a political line, well aware that it is in the best interest of not only the Serbian but also of all the other peoples living in these areas and broader in the region. Successful completion of the elections and free voting on Saturday are a special recognition to this policy. (TANJUG, September 17, 1996) Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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