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Serbia Today, 96-10-03Serbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Serbia Today3 October 1996CONTENTS
[01] REACTIONS IN THE WORLD TO THE LIFTING OF SANCTIONS ON YUGOSLAVIARussian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yevgeny Primakov welcomed lifting of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Srpska as "an important step in the development of the peace process", which is "placing on equal footing the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Srpska with its other participants", as well as "a well deserved recognition to the constructive line of the leadership of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia". "On the agenda now is the return of Yugoslavia to the United Nations, to the O.S.C.E. and the other international organizations", said Primakov, recalling that Russia was always decisively insisting on as fast as possible lifting of sanctions.France has accepted and welcomed with pleasure the final return of the FR of Yugoslavia into the international community. In accordance with its stand that there are no reasons at all for any prolongation of the regime of sanctions, neither against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia nor on the Republic of Srpska, France has given its vote in favor of the lifting of sanctions. "We are happy that the sanctions are lifted and we wish for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to take up its positions as soon as possible in the international organizations", said the spokesman of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Great Britain is expressing its pleasure because of the UN Security Council decision to finally lift all sanctions against Yugoslavia", stated the official spokesman of the Foreign Office, Jeremiah Mac Raden, underlining that London was actively working for this decision to be made as specified by the Dayton Peace Accords. Lifting of sanctions on Yugoslavia is a long awaited confirmation and recognition to the peaceful policy of Belgrade and of President Slobodan Milosevic and an announcement of considerably greater possibilities for extending concrete economic cooperation between the two countries, comments Greece, with the feeling of approval and satisfaction. Greek high officials are underlining that Greece is for a long time now striving for the elimination of this last stumbling block, although even under the conditions so far, after the suspension of sanctions, to a great extent the economic links between the two countries were renewed. (TANJUG, Vecernje novosti, October 3, 1996) [02] ON EQUAL FOOTING IN THE WORK OF UNESCOAt the large-scale and major international conference of the UNESCO, devoted to the education in the world which started work yesterday, the Yugoslav delegation is taking part on equal footing with over two hundred delegations from all over the world, which is practically the first result of the Security Council's decision on lifting of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav delegation, headed by the Federal Minister of Science and Education Prof.Dr. Janko Radulovic, has received its place in the conference hall of the Geneva Congress Center, with the name plate of the country reading : The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. (Politika ekspres, October 3, 1996)[03] "YOU SUCCEEDED IN PRESERVING PEACE AND LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS"In the congratulation messages to the President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic, on the occasion of the lifting of sanctions on our country, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Dragan Tomic, says the following: "In the crucial moments for our historical survival, you have shown courage embodied in our people who has always been striving for freedom, independence and dignity. Once again it was confirmed that sincere supporters of these ideals nothing and no one can push outside and out of the history, and that we do belong to the progressive part of the mankind. In an environment of siege and pressures, calculated at drawing us into the war and violence, you have succeeded in preserving peace and lives of our citizens, who have known, in spite of poverty and closed frontiers in the heart of Europe, how to support the consistent policy of peace, confirmed through the Dayton Peace Accords, for which your personal engagement was crucial". While sending congratulation messages to President Milosevic on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and in his own name, the Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic says the following: "By this act which was awaited for so long but with full justification and hope by the citizens of our country, the international community has finally given its definite acknowledgment to the peaceful policy of our country to which you have given in the past period the greatest contribution." (Politika, October 3, 1996)[04] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC IN PARIS TODAYPresident of the Republic Slobodan Milosevic is having in Paris today a meeting with the President of the three-member Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina Alija Izetbegovic, and then a meeting with the President of France, Jacques Chirac. It is expected that the discussions will be held about the forthcoming steps to be made aimed at total normalization of the situation in former Yugoslavia, and especially in Bosnia-Herzegovina. (TANJUG, October 3, 1996)[05] CROAT "TRUTH" ABOUT DESTRUCTION OF PLACES OF WORSHIPIn Zagreb a luxuriously printed book was published recently entitled "The Inured Church of Croatia", offering double standards for the destruction of the places of worship and the church treasures during the recently terminated Yugoslav armed conflicts. In the book the only thing that is certain is that the Catholic churches were destroyed "by the rebellious Serbs and the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA)", while for the destruction and erasing to the ground of the Orthodox temples there is no mention as to who had done it, although these temples were all the time present in the territory controlled exclusively by the Croats. It is hard to believe that the publisher is so much ignorant, among the publishers being also the Croat Bishops Conference, because on the destiny of the Orthodox places of worship there are ample reports by the international observers, says Slobodan Mileusnic, M.A., director of the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade. The publishers have thus 'ignored' that the Orthodox church in Vinkovci was destroyed, and also in Slavonski Brod and Gospic, while as early as 1991 the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Eparchy Seat in Zagreb was mined, and that even the three timber-made churches were destroyed, which were on the list of the world cultural heritage as the monuments of culture of the highest category. Among 100 Serbian churches in Croatia, presented as allegedly intact, 35 of them are considerably damaged and some even erased to the ground. Special type of falsehood, adds Mileusnic, for example, is the picture in the book of the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Trinity in Pakrac, with the text presenting it as if it was a Catholic church which was destroyed, although one can clearly distinguish that it is an Orthodox church. (Politika, October 3, 1996)[06] DOORS ARE WIDE OPEN TO THE WORLD MARKETThe decision on the lifting of sanctions was received with relief among the Yugoslav businessmen who are awaiting over the forthcoming months the revival of the production, growth of experts, greater employment of capacities and improvement of the standard of living of the citizens. According to the estimates of the President of the Chamber of Economy of Vojvodina, Nikola Stojsic, the economy of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has succeeded in the period under the sanctions in preserving its technology, experts and many programs attractive for the world market, and that it is to be expected now that there will be revival of production and greater investments by the foreign partners. According to the director of the Serbian Glass Factory of Paracin, Predrag Djordjevic, this decision is giving hope to this factory, which has during the time of sanctions lost irretrievably 300,000,000 DEM, that over a few months it can return to the western market. President of the Union of independent entrepreneurs of Serbia and the owner of the factory of electronic machines and equipment "Feman" from Jagodina, Miodrag Nikolic, is of the view that the private sector "through its flexibility, connections and products will be the first to enjoy the benefits of the lifting of sanctions".Director of the Tourist Organization of Serbia, Dr. Jovan Popesku is of the opinion that lifting of sanctions is creating prerequisites for a better venture of the Serbian tourism on the international tourist market and for a larger number of arrivals of the foreign guests to be expected. There are special expectations from the realization of the already expressed interests for investment of the foreign capital into our tourism. (Politika, October 3, 1996) [07] NEW PERSPECTIVES ARE BEING OPENEDLifting of sanctions for our economy is creating great possibilities, but also great challenges. We can not return to the position of ten years ago over night, and how fast we shall achieve that will depend on ourselves, said the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Slobodan Radulovic. The times that are before us are demanding much more work and in these times there can be no excuse for failures, said Minister Coordinator in the Government of Serbia Dragan Tomic, while commenting the news about lifting of sanctions. "What we were not able to do under sanctions, and what we are to do now much easier, is to renew the equipment, to technologically innovate our production, to stop dealing only with bare survival, but in an organized and offensive way to turn towards the world market", says Tomic."Lifting of sanctions is creating conditions for our economy, and especially the part of the financial system and banks to start normal dealings with the world", stated Dusan Vlatkovic, Minister of Finance in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and added that this will help towards a much greater interest of foreign investors for investing into our economy, but also towards a much easier supply of funds from abroad. Minister of Trade, Srdjan Nikolic, underlines that it is especially important that our goods will have the same treatment as the good produced in other countries. "Furthermore, we are expecting fast integration into the World Trade Organization, which is bringing many facilities", says Minister Nikolic. Recalling that the sanctions were the hardest on the youngest and the oldest categories of population, Minister of Health, Leposava Milicevic stated that lifting of sanctions is of immeasurable value and expressed expectations that, by accelerating the economy, the gap will be narrowed between health care needs and the capability of the state to service them. Republican Minister of Information, Aleksandar Tijanic, stated that lifting of sanctions is significant for two reasons: "The first reason is that we are now coming back into the world, where is our place, and the last but not least is that some of our people, who do not know how to do their job, are now losing their main excuse". Lifting of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Srpska is a great lifting of burden on refugees in these areas, but also on all the citizens, said the Republican Commissioner for Refugees Bratislava Morina, and underlined that she is now hoping for a greater response by the foreign donors for our humanitarian and programs of integration of refugees. (Politika, TANJUG, October 3, 1996) [08] CONDITIONS CREATED FOR SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY OF YUGOSLAVIAOn the occasion of the lifting of sanctions against our country, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has stated that the conditions are now created for successful economic and social recovery of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of the Republic of Serbia, which has commenced by the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords. The Government is of the view that this most difficult period over the last fifty years was successfully overcome, most of all thanks to the peaceful policy of our country and the understanding and support by all the citizens of Serbia to the Government's policy, measures and activities, which were realistic during the time of international sanctions, but were also restrictive and demanded a lot of sacrifice by all and every.The Federal Government stated that the decisive step has been made towards normalization of the situation in the entire region and that the significant and positive role of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was confirmed. "The most difficult period is now behind us, and what is forthcoming is the period of work on an overall reconstruction and full reintegration of Yugoslavia in the international community", reads the communique by the Federal Government. (Borba, October 3, 1996) [09] INTERNATIONAL FAIRS BITE AND BIRE '96 OPENEDThe official lifting of international sanctions, Belgrade has welcomed as the host of the First International Fair of Computers, Telecommunications and Radio Broadcasting (BITE '96) and of the First International Fair of Reconstruction of the Infrastructure of Yugoslavia (BIRE '96). At the opening of these fair exhibitions, the Federal Minister of Trade, Djordje Siradovic underlined that the presence of a large number of foreign exhibitors (150 international companies) is showing also a large interest of these companies for cooperation with the Yugoslav partners, especially now, when through the final fall of sanctions, it is made possible for them to operate on a considerably broader basis. Minister Siradovic also underlined the orientation of the Government for the Yugoslav economy to be opened and export oriented. (Borba, October 3, 1996) zSerbia Today Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |