Serbia Today, 97-05-12

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Serbia Today

CONTENTS

[01] BONDS FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA WILL ISSUED

[02] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT: THE NEW YORK TIMES: ALBANIAN GROUPS PREPARING FOR ARMED SECESSION OF KOSOVO

[03] MESIC ACCUSED TUDJMAN

[04] THREAT OF A NEW EXODUS

[05] "DEFENSE" FOR AGGRESSION INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS BREACHED

[06] ANTICIPATED ALBANIAN ELECTION IN KOSMET CONDEMNED

[07] PARTIALITY AND BLIND HATRED

[08] SUCCESSFUL YUGOSLAV-CHINESE COOPERATION

[09] HELPING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

[10] THE ONLY WITNESS OF THE USTASHA MASSACRE IN GLINA PASSED AWAY

[01] BONDS FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA WILL ISSUED

Borba, 1997-05-12

The government of the Republic of Srpska is preparing a law to issue bonds for the reconstruction and development of RS, which should be approved by the RS parliament at its next session. Voluntary purchase of bonds will be promoted including RS citizens living and working abroad. The loan should secure 30 million a sum of German marks, and the bonds will be on sale in business banks in RS and in clubs managed by RS citizens living abroad. It has been stressed that the revitalization of industrial capacities in RS is one of top government priorities., especially since the international community has not shown visible interest to provide a financial support to RS to help it overcome the losses suffered during the war.

[02] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT: THE NEW YORK TIMES: ALBANIAN GROUPS PREPARING FOR ARMED SECESSION OF KOSOVO

Politika, 1997-05-12

In an article authored by Chris Hedges, a journalist covering mostly the events in former Yugoslavia and in Serbia, the New York Times published the interview with one of the leaders of the terrorist organisation "Kosovo Liberation Army", who openly confirmed that their objective is to start the war against Serbia.

The article entitled "Albanians in Serbia are Fighting for Independence" contains brutal historical falsities including the asserting that "Kosovo was once part of Albania granted to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia after World War I".

The author indicates that the interview was held in Geneva and that this member of the "Kosovo Liberation Army" wished to remain anonymous using the alias "Alban".

In describing him, Mr. Hedges remarks that the Serbian Police rates "Alban" as one of the major terrorists in Yugoslavia, whilst ethnic Albanians in Kosovo think of him as a "great hero". In an attempt to explain the profile of the "Kosovo Liberation Army" to his readers, the American journalist openly affirms that it is a shadow group that started the campaign for armed combat aimed at "making Kosovo independent and free of Serbian control."

The article also quotes the remark made by the same member of the Albanian terrorist organisation who stressed that they "are nothing like the IRA or the Basque separatists, representing only a small percentage of the population".

"We have the support of practically entire Albanian population. We carry out attacks against representatives of the Serbian regime. The secret police and those Albanians that co-operate with the regime are our prime targets", said the terrorist quoted by the New York Times.

The author of the article also indicates that the "Kosovo Liberation Army" is financed by some 700.000 Albanians living abroad and stresses that the group is making great efforts to become - within a few months - "one of the major players in the bloody Balkan arena".

Mr. Hedges indicates that until now the world has given little attention to this group of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, adding that "nevertheless American officials take this organisation seriously believing that it has the potential to seriously shake the Serbian control over Kosovo".

A few phrases later, the author quotes "Alban's" statement that his group killed or wounded dozens of Serbs in armed operations.

The New York Times also affirms that "Alban often secretly visits Kosovo". Explaining the future strategy of his terrorist group during the interview, "Alban" drew an empty square on a piece of paper - representing the Serbian authority - and then said that it will be "shattered" within the next three years.

He also revealed that members of his group - together with Albanians from Macedonia - fought as voluntaries against the Serbs in Bosnia.

Along with the interview with the anonymous Albanian, the article contains statements made by various other members of the Albanian community in Switzerland, fully endorsing the "Kosovo Liberation Army".

One Semi Kurteshi, a scientist-politicologyst according to the Times, anticipates that the group will soon become the main power in Kosovo. Still, Kurteshi is troubled by the weakness of the neighbouring Albania. "Since Albania is politically and economically weak, it will not be able to support us. We will be alone." laments this Albanian politician.

Once it manages to secede from Serbia, the "Kosovo Liberation Army" plans to organise a referendum to see whether ethnic Albanians want to unite with their mother country - remarks the New York Times. The same daily offers a historical review of the events stating that six years ago - during the break-up of former Yugoslavia, ethnic Albanians hoped to obtain a state of their own. When these hopes failed, they chose to boycott state institutions including schools. Kosovo Albanians living abroad, especially 400.000 of them in Switzerland and Germany, give about 3 per cent of their income for the financing of the self-proclaimed government in Pristina, says the New York Times.

The Dayton peace document partially submerged the dream of an independent Kosovo, and Albanian emigrants are now more determined in supporting the "Kosovo Liberation Army" observes the same US daily.

As far as the financing of the group is concerned, Swiss authorities have "registered" that Albanians - already controlling the narco-mafia network - are becoming strongly involved in arms smuggling.

The interesting fact is that the article has been published immediately after the statements made by several US officials, who rejected - according to the Dayton Document principles as NYT remarks - the possibility of ethnic Albanian elections outside the institutions of the Republic of Serbia.

Analysts in New York remarked that the publication of the interview fits into the constant efforts to destabilise Serbia, co-ordinated by certain American political circles that recently organised a round table in New York with the help of the allegedly democratic Serbian opposition.

At the meeting, mostly thanks to the presence of the highest Serbian opposition officials, an attempt has been made to legalise the separatist plans of the Albanian leaders.

It is also obvious that the ethnic Albanian leadership in Kosovo has been shaken by the fact that the regime in Serbia has proven to be much firmer than they and their mentors thought during the demonstrations in Belgrade, when Albanian separatist leaders affirmed enthusiastic support to opposition rallies, seeing them as a decisive opportunity to realise their own plans in Kosovo and disintegrate Yugoslavia.

[03] MESIC ACCUSED TUDJMAN

Vecernje Novosti, 1997-05-10

Croatia had a much more direct role in the war in Bosnia then its leaders are willing to admit - Mr. Stipe Mesic - once a close collaborator of President Tudjman during his meeting with the Hague Tribunal representatives. According to agency reports Croatian media have called Mesic a traitor, because he offered evidence against Mr. Tudjman to the International Criminal Court for War Crimes in Former Yugoslavia. Mr. Tudjman always denied publicly of having any control over Croatian leaders in Bosnia and sending Croatian troops to fight there. However, according to Mesic's testimony Tudjman and Croatian Defense Minister Gojko Susak, gave orders for the deployment of Croatian Army troops in Bosnia. In Bosnia, the Croats had a number of prisoner camps with thousands of Bosnian and Serb prisoners, said Mesic adding that Croatian Government officials must have been aware of the existence of those camps. He also revealed that a member of the ruling party told him that Bosnian Croats in Prozor "killed so many Moslems that they had to load the bodies on trucks".

[04] THREAT OF A NEW EXODUS

Ekspres, 1997-05-10

His Holiness - Serbian Patriarch Pavle, received Mr. Goran Hadzic - President of the Serbian Region Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem. After the meeting Mr. Hadzic stated that he informed the Patriarch "about the present position of the Serbs - since it is evident that the elections in Croatia were not democratic ones". Commenting the latest document adopted by the UN General Assembly which rejects the Serbian demand to annul the elections in the Srem-Baranja Region, Mr. Hadzic said that everyone realizes now that "international law favors the rights of the stronger side and that it has nothing to do with democracy." He anticipated that Serbs - should they be prevented from exerting the rights they have been promised in Croatian territory - might opt for a mass exodus. He said that he hopes that the worse will not happen and that he expects that "the people will stay on in the Serbian Region and that it will continue to exist."

[05] "DEFENSE" FOR AGGRESSION INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS BREACHED

Politika, 1997-05-12

At a press conference held on Saturday in Sarajevo to promote the US aid to the Moslem-Croatian Federation Army the US special envoy for military stabilization - Mr. James Perdue, confirmed indirectly the fears of a Federal Army aggression on Republic of Srpska, announced several days ago by Major-General Pero Colic - Chief of Staff of the RS Army. Mr. Perdue underscored that the US Defense Department authorized the delivery of 116 howitzers, 21 heavy transporters and the financing of sales of other military equipment. He also remarked that the new strategy of the Federation military forces is based on the use of advanced defense, entailing the deployment of professional units on advanced positions, counter-attacks and quick mobilization. Reaction forces will be capable of a quick response in case of an attack against the Federation, said Mr. Perdue. Even incompetent people can realize the essence of such strategy: only a pretext is needed now. The increasingly frequent abuse of freedom of movement of Bosnian Moslems and Croats in RS territory is one of the strongest "jokers" relied upon by the federal partners - especially Moslems - to accuse the Serbs of breaching this article of the Dayton Agreement and thus crate a pretext for aggression. The US support is just an additional element confirming the evaluation made by the RS Supreme Defense Council - namely that the security situation in the region is extremely unfavorable. The maps published by Moslem newspapers, indicating that RS is to be reduced to merely 15% of its present territory, clearly illustrate the objectives that are to be realized with the use of a strategy which has been openly endorsed by the US Administration. (Vecernje Novosti, May 11, 1997)

Right at the start, in making the first step to fulfill their international obligations, the Croatian authorities and President Tudjman breached both international and personal guarantees and promises given to Serbs in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, and Western Srem. In fact, the Croatian President appointed members of the Croatian Parliament Dr. Vojislav Stanimirovic - Chairman of the Regional Executive Council and President of the Independent Serbian Democratic Party and member of the Serbian Democratic Forum from Zagreb - Prof. Jovan Bamburaca. However, according to international guarantees, and the Croatian Letter of Intentions, the Serbian ethnic community from the UNTAES territories was supposed to appoint two representatives for the Parliament, and President Tudjman was only to confirm these nominations. The essence of the issue is that both deputies are to be representatives of the Serbs from the Region, since all documents refer to it, figures that will represent authentically and legitimately the local Serbian community, and not just any Serb from Croatia. The Serbs from the Region were right to fear the appointment of a Serb suiting Croatian authorities - since this would formally fulfill Croatian obligations, and the real interests of the Serbs discarded. Although Serbs from the UNTAES territories submitted the names of two candidates (one from the Vukovar-Srem County and one from the Osijek- Baranja County), President Tudjman ignored his obligation and breached international documents in appointing at his discretion two Parliament members, meeting his obligation only partially in nominating Dr. Stanimirovic.

[06] ANTICIPATED ALBANIAN ELECTION IN KOSMET CONDEMNED

Borba, 1997-05-10

The German newspaper "Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung" gave major coverage to the negative US stand regarding plans of the ethnic Albanian political groups in Kosovo and Metohija to organize their own elections. Bearing in mind the closeness of the newspaper to government circles, one can assume that Bonn will follow Washington's example. The same daily reveals that the US Charge d'affaires in Belgrade - Mr. Miles, criticized the plans prepared by the ethnic Albanian leaders, to organize elections for a secret parliament and that he told Mr. Ibrahim Rugova in Pristina that Washington never supported the idea for an ethnic parliament of Kosovo. The same article indicates that Mr. Miles insisted with the Albanian leaders to abandon their own unrecognized elections and to take part in official elections due by the end of the year in Serbia. Ending its commentary of the present situation in the southern Serbian province, the same German newspaper stresses that the international community insists that the problem of Kosovo and Metohija must be settled within Serbian institutions.

[07] PARTIALITY AND BLIND HATRED

Tanjug, 1997-05-11

The international community committed a major error when it admitted a depressing, "cleansed" and xenophobic country like Croatia, and continued to choke Serbia, that constantly tried to avoid the atomization of a pluralist structure, like former Yugoslavia, says the well known French publicist and journalist Louis Delmas in his article published by the latest edition of the Paris magazine "Balkan-Enfoa". He stresses that the "French chamber philosophers", like Levy, Finkelkraut, Kushner etc., that sided with the opposition during the latest political crisis in Serbia, caused a general shock, mostly because in the past several years - while the conflict raged in former Yugoslavia - they treated the Serbs as a nation of drunkards, barbarians, aggressors and murderers specified Mr. Delmas. "Now - he adds - these same people are endorsing the allegedly democratic opposition in Serbia, while during the previous conflicts they accepted the Bosnian and Croatian propaganda, without admitting that they were thus defending the racist, authoritarian and religious fanatism in the countries that forcibly seceded from their original state. Such a position deserves nothing but disdain, added Mr. Delmas. In its May issue the "Balkan-Enfoa" magazine u published two leading articles dealing with the resurrection of fascism in Croatia and the anti-Serbian campaign of the French press, which never ceased since the crisis in Former Yugoslavia broke out.

[08] SUCCESSFUL YUGOSLAV-CHINESE COOPERATION

Politika, 1997-05-10

During the meeting with a Chinese delegation headed by Lee Yonwoo - Deputy Minister of Chemical Industry of the PR China, Serbian Coordinating Minister Dragan Tomic underscored the extreme importance of traditionally close relations between the two countries and expressed satisfaction for the successful evolution of economic relations between Yugoslav and Chinese companies. The full stability of business environment this year, and the dynamic rehabilitation of the Yugoslav economy will accelerate the evolution of all forms of business cooperation between China and FR Yugoslavia. Ample space for cooperation exists in many chemical industry sectors, which was confirmed during the delegation visit, but also in many other sectors - especially the production of agricultural machinery and equipment. The Chinese Deputy Minister - Mr. Lee Yonwoo observed that the development of cooperation between the two guests has an excellent perspective, corroborated by the fact that the national economies are greatly complementary.

[09] HELPING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Tanjug, 1997-05-12

The republican Law on concessions, to be discussed tomorrow by the Serbian Parliament, will allow a more rational use of national natural resources, create the conditions for foreign investments and help the technological modernization of infrastructure systems in the country - said Mr. Vojin Radevic - assistant of the Serbian Minister of construction and member of the draft Law group. In preparing the law, the experience of countries with similar levels of economic development introducing market economy and competing for foreign financing with our country were used. Mr. Radevic also added that the cooperation of all ministries whose competence covers potential investment and concession sectors in preparing the law was very important, as well as consultations with representatives of public companies and other large companies using natural and national resources. The law allows for the first time that domestic persons can also be given a concession, which harmonizes this matter with the general constitutional principle that foreigners can not have broader rights than our citizens - stressed Mr. Radevic.

[10] THE ONLY WITNESS OF THE USTASHA MASSACRE IN GLINA PASSED AWAY

Politika, 1997-05-12

Ljuban Jednak - whose name was quoted by many history books died at the age of 81, as a refugee from the village of Seliste (near Glina). He was the only survivor of the 1941 Ustasha massacre of some 1.500 Serbs in the Glina church, and testified at the trials against Ustasha criminals Andria Artukovic, Alojz Stepinac and the Ante Pavelic government. He survived the shelling of Glina in 1991, and in August 1995 - after the Croatian "Operation Storm" against the Republic of Serbian Krayina, he fled with other 140.000 refugees to Serbia. "The world has never seen anything similar" said Ljuban Jednak after the five day ordeal in the retreat from Glina to Belgrade, when he told the reporters about the shelling of Glina and that he has fled with his entire family to Serbia only temporarily. He died before returning home.

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