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Tanjug Daily News Review, 96-05-22

Tanjug Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Tanjug, Yugoslavia, via Serbian Unity Congress <http://www.suc.org/>

May 22, 1996
NEWS AGENCY - TANJUG
DAILY NEWS REVIEW


CONTENTS

  • [01] SERBIAN PREMIER MARJANOVIC LEAVES FOR GREECE
  • [02] ITALY MIGHT PUT OFF INTRODUCING VISAS FOR YUGOSLAVS
  • [03] SCHOENGEN-STYLE EUROPE - CONCEPT FOR BALKANS WITHOUT FRONTIERS
  • [04] SOLANA SAYS IFOR'S MANDATE WOULD NOT BE ALTERED
  • [05] SADAKO OGATA SAYS 500,000 BOSNIAN REFUGEES MAY BE REPATRIATED IN 1996
  • [06] GREEK, SERBIAN PREMIERS SATISFIED WITH BILATERAL COOPERATION
  • [07] EU ADMINISTRATOR FOR MOSTAR TO MEET BOSNIAN MUSLIM LEADER IZETBEGOVIC
  • [08] U.S. PLANES IN TIMISOARA
  • [09] INTERNET TO SET UP DISTRIBUTION CENTRE FOR MONTENEGRO IN PODGORICA
  • [10] U.S. COMPUTER FIRM RETURNS TO YUGOSLAVIA
  • [11] NOVOSTI: DEATH BEFORE VERDICT
  • [12] EXHIBITION ON SPIRITUAL GENOCIDE 1991-55 OPENS IN BELLRADE
  • [13] THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL TO HEAR EVIDENCE AGAINST KARADZIC, MLADIC IN JUNE
  • [14] 'BOSNIAGATE' IN TURKISH PARLIAMENT
  • [15] BELGRADE DAILY: SERBS COULD ACHIEVE AUTONOMY IN CROATIA PEACEFULLY
  • [16] WASHINGTON EXPECTS KARADZIC'S DEPARTURE
  • [17] IZETBEGOVIC'S CHIEF RIVAL SAYS HE WILL WIN ELECTIONS
  • [18] R.S. PREMIER KLICKOVIC DEMANDS COMPLIANCE WITH DAYTON ACCORD BY MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATIN TOO
  • [19] FUNERAL OF BOSNIAN SERB GENERAL DJORDJE DJUKIC
  • [20] U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CROATIA HELPS ARM BOSNIAN MOSLEMS
  • [21] MILOSEVIC RECEIVES REPUBLIKA SRPSKA ACTING PRESIDENT PLAVSIC
  • [22] TURKEY, BOSNIAN MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION EXPAND MILITARY COOPERATION
  • [23] KRAJISNIK MEETS WITH BILDT, IFOR ARMY COMMANDER GEN. WALKER
  • [24] U.S. ENVOY KORNBLUM TO RETURN TO BALKANS
  • [25] HOLBROOKE ADMITS INVOLVEMENT IN ARMS DELIVERIES TO BOSNIAN MUSLIMS
  • [26] IPTF: GROUP OF MUSLIMS HELD BY BOSNIAN SERBS TREATED CORRECTLY
  • [27] SERBS, CROATS TO RETURN TO FOUR SLAVONIAN VILLAGES SOON

  • [01] SERBIAN PREMIER MARJANOVIC LEAVES FOR GREECE

    belgrade, may 21 (tanjug).- serbian prime minbister mirko marjanovic and his delegation left tuesday for greece on a three-day visit, serbian information ministry said in a statement.

    marjanovic will meet greek prime minister costas simitis and speak at a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the landing of serbian army troops in corfu to recover after fierce battles in world war i.

    [02] ITALY MIGHT PUT OFF INTRODUCING VISAS FOR YUGOSLAVS

    podgorica, yugoslavia, may 21 (tanjug) - the leader of montenegro's independent trade unions said on tuesday there were indications that italy might postpone the introduction of visas for citizens of the federal republic of yugoslavia.

    (montenegro, together with serbia, forms the federal republic of yugoslavia).

    speaking to reporters on his return from italy, trade union leader danilo popovic said he had gotten this impression from his talks with puglia region trade union officials, italian businessmen, government officials and intellectuals.

    popovic visited italy as guest of three trade union associations in the puglia region.

    the italian side said they were very much interested in the introduction of visas for yugoslavs being put off until the end of the tourist season, popovic said.

    if the visas should nevertheless be introduced, however, the italian side said they would insist that an italian consulate be opened in the montenegrin capital of podgorica or port bar on montenegro's southern adriatic coast, popovic added.

    the italian embassy in belgrade said on friday that yugoslavs would need entry visas for italy as of june 16.

    [03] SCHOENGEN-STYLE EUROPE - CONCEPT FOR BALKANS WITHOUT FRONTIERS

    belgrade, may 21 (tanjug) - the schoengen treaty, signifying a commitment to a europe without frontiers, could be a model for a balkans without frontiers, according to participants in a belgrade economics institute debate on tuesday.

    the debate by prominent yugoslav experts in economics and international law was prompted by the publication of the book 'the schoengen treaty -- for a europe without frontiers' by milutin janjevic and dusko lopandic.

    the authors said that the schoengen-group states were erecting obstacles and barriers for potential immigrants rather than stimulating the spirit of opening to other nations.

    oskar kovac said that the treaty, although proclaiming freedom of movement to suit the people's job requirements, in fact aggravated the position of third countries as compared to that of the ten european signatories to the treaty in terms of labour mobility.

    the debate participants said they felt that solutions offered in the treaty were not in line with what the european union states were advocating in the world trade system.

    however, the experts added, the concept could nevertheless be used by the federal republic of yugoslavia and the other balkan nations to create a balkans without frontiers.

    [04] SOLANA SAYS IFOR'S MANDATE WOULD NOT BE ALTERED

    belgrade, may 22 (tanjug) - nato secretary-general javier solana said on tuesday that the mandate of the peace implementation force (ifor) would not be altered to include the arrest war crime suspects.

    ifor's mandate is clear and it would not be altered, the afp news agency quoted solana as telling reporters in brussels.

    solana said that ifor would do everything to help the hague-based international war crimes tribunal for the former yugoslavia and international high representative to bosnia carl bildt who is in charge of the civilian aspects of the dayton peace accords.

    ifor has been pressured for some time by the tribunal to arrest war crime suspects bosnian serb president radovan karadzic and army commander gen. ratko mladic, afp quoted diplomatic sources at nato.

    [05] SADAKO OGATA SAYS 500,000 BOSNIAN REFUGEES MAY BE REPATRIATED IN 1996

    belgrade, may 22 (tanjug) - united nations high commissioner for refugees sadako ogata has said that 'if we are lucky,' even 500,000 refugees might return to their homes in bosnia-herzegovina this year.

    the associated press quoted ogata as saying in the national press club in washington on tuesday that about 70,000 refugees, mostly older people, had already returned to bosnia-herzegovina.

    she said that an increased number of families with children were expected to return now that the weather had improved and the school term ended.

    speaking about great problems accompanying the process of the return of refugees, ogata said that 63 percent of the houses in bosnia-herzegovina had been destroyed.

    [06] GREEK, SERBIAN PREMIERS SATISFIED WITH BILATERAL COOPERATION

    athens, may 22 (tanjug) - serbian premier mirko marjanovic and his greek counterpart kostas simitis said wednesday they were satisfied with bilateral cooperation and that there were good prospects for further promoting it.

    after one-hour talks, the two premiers told reporters that they agreed on many political issues which they had tackled.

    speaking about the good relations between greece and the federal republic of yugoslavia and serbia, simitis voiced hope that bilateral political and economic relations would be speedily intensified and help make the balkans a zone of friendship and cooperation.

    we agreed that yugoslavia and greece and our peoples are traditional friends and that it is possible to upgrade cooperation in all spheres, marjanovic said.

    we will do our utmost to expand and upgrade our relations because our interests are compatible, marjanovic added.

    [07] EU ADMINISTRATOR FOR MOSTAR TO MEET BOSNIAN MUSLIM LEADER IZETBEGOVIC

    belgrade, may 22 (tanjug) - european union (eu) administrator for mostar ricardo perez casado left for sarajevo on wednesday for talks with bosnian muslim leader alija izetbegovic, afp has learnt from eu sources.

    after sarajevo, casado is expected to visit zagreb where he will confer with croatian president franjo tudjman on thursday.

    the talks are held following an official request by muslim authorities in mostar to the european union to postpone local elections in mostar scheduled for may 31.

    six muslim parties have threatened to boycott the elections and have not registered their candidates.

    the muslim side maintains that the elections are premature and that conditions have not been met for holding them given that all those persons displaced from mostar have not been allowed to return.

    on the other side, the croats maintain that all conditions have been met and their parties have registered their candidate by the deadline which expired on may 10.

    local elections in mostar should help reunify the town which was divided in 1993 by the muslims and croats after fierce one-year fighting. under the dayton agreement signed in paris last year, both sides have committed themselves to reunify the town.

    since july 1994, mostar has been under the administration of the european union which is charged with organizing the elections.

    [08] U.S. PLANES IN TIMISOARA

    bucharest, may 22 (tanjug) - romania has not abandoned a plan to make timisoara airport a logistics basis for peace troops in bosnia.

    twelve u.s. military planes will land at timisoara airport in mid-june, romanian airforce general ion stan said on wednesday.

    the romanian general told a bucharest paper that u.s. planes would perform a demonstration at timisoara airport on june 16-17 as part of their european tour dubbed 'thunderbird'.

    three c-141 transport planes, one c-21 plane and eight f-16 jets will take part in the demonstration.

    gen. ion stan also said that the demonstration of u.s. planes would be held on the occasion of romania's airforce day.

    [09] INTERNET TO SET UP DISTRIBUTION CENTRE FOR MONTENEGRO IN PODGORICA

    podgorica, yugoslavia, may 21 (tanjug) - the international computer network internet will set up a distribution centre for the yugoslav republic of montenegro at the university of podgorica.

    the podgorica university will invest about 250,000 dollars in the the equipment for the 1,000-connection distribution centre which will provide access to a multitude of scientific and other data available through internet.

    more that 60 million users in 20 countries world-wide have connected their 15 million personal computers to internet.

    [10] U.S. COMPUTER FIRM RETURNS TO YUGOSLAVIA

    belgrade, may 22 (tanjug) - the u.s. compaq computer corporation and the yugoslav firm microsys of novi sad on tuesday signed an agreement on representation in the territory of the federal republic of yugoslavia, microsys director josip cokrilic has said.

    cokrilic said he had reached agreement with compaq general manager steve harris for setting up compaq's centre for eastern europe in belgrade to secure servicing and the education of users and distributers.

    the centre will provide expert and technical aid for the utilization of this major world computer company's hardware.

    microsys and compaq presented the belgrade clinical centre (cis) bezanijska kosa with hardware and the yubis software package .

    this gift will enable bezanijska kosa to be the first in yugoslavia to introduce a sophisticated information system designed according to higest world standards, kbc director prof. dr. momcilo babic said.

    dr. babic said that yubis (yugoslav hospital information system) was created by microsys and belgrade's cit - inzinjering, who adapted it to the needs of the domestic health care system.

    [11] NOVOSTI: DEATH BEFORE VERDICT

    belgrade, may 20 (tanjug) - the trial of republika srpska's army general djordje djukic will continue even after his death, the belgrade paper vecernje novosti said on monday.

    gen. djukic, who was indicted for alleged war crimes in sarajevo during the four-year civil war in that former yugoslav republic, died at the military medical academy in belgrade on saturday.

    earlier this year, chief prosecutor of the u.n. tribunal richard goldstone brought gen. djukic before the tribunal but failed to submit acceptable evidence on his responsibility for flagrant

    violation of the international humanitarian law, the paper said, adding that goldstone did not manage to find any evidence although his team searched for three months.

    the tribunal, which was set up for war crimes perpetrated in the former yugoslavia, will examine gen. djukic's case on june 3, the paper said.

    novosti said that the tribunal decided on april 24 to reject a demand by gen. djukic's defence to withdraw the indictment for lack of evidence and procedural irregularities since his arrest.

    on april 24, gen. djukic who had underwent an operation for cancer some time before, was released from the hague prison in which he had spent over two months. the tribunal released him because of his critical health condition, novosti said.

    competent bodies in the hague and sarajevo will not decide whether goldstone had indicted an innocent or guilty man.

    the paper said that gen. djukic's family had wanted to avoid that at all cost. the family did not want the proceedings to be suspended only because of his death and wanted to avoid a stain on his name.

    a patriot who did not understand the reasons for standing trial in the hague has died. he did not want the tribunal to release him with the explanation that his indictment would be withdrawn only due to his bad condition, djukic's lawyer toma fila told novosti.

    fila said that gen. djukic had been brought to the hague despite the fact that he had been a logistics commander and that even the nuremberg tribunal had not indicted rear commanders for war crimes.

    if the hague tribunal wants to clarify his case, it can apply the regulation under which someone can be tried in absentio, gen. djukic's lawyer said.

    fila's request will be reviewed by the tribunal on monday. if fila's demand is rejected, the proceedings will be suspended because of gen. djukic's death.

    [12] EXHIBITION ON SPIRITUAL GENOCIDE 1991-55 OPENS IN BELLRADE

    belgrade, may 21 (tanjug) - serbia orthodox patria ch pavle will open an exhibition on sprititual genocide 1991-95 in belgrade on tuesday which will present the destruction of sacral objects in all 10 serbian orthodox eparchies during the war in former yugoslavia.

    se bian orthodox church museum manager and exhibititn author dr. slobodan mileusnic told reporters on monday that the material presented in the hall of the serbian national libra y would demonstrate the vast destruction of serbian spiritual and historic treasu es.

    dr. mileusnic said the destruction in this wa hae been 'worse than p evious ones in malnitude a d brutality of destruction and sairilege.'

    metropolitan jovan of zagreb and ljubljana said the destruction of sacral objects was a 'general tragedy for all three sides (orthodox, catholic, and muslim) in the war because the destroyed heritale belongs to us all.'

    metropolitan jovan said the destruction had started with the blowing up of the serbian orthodox church museum i zagreb on april 11, 1991.

    he also spoke about the destruction of the serbian metropolitan residence in zagreb and said that, unfortunately, only an expert commission could determine the number of destroyed sacral objects which were a picture of hatred and destruction during the war.

    the serbia orthodox church museum set up a similar exhibition two years alo on spiritual genocide in 1991-93. at that time, a publication was p inted in serbia and english, which was accepted as an official document by the hague wa crimes tribunal.

    [13] THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL TO HEAR EVIDENCE AGAINST KARADZIC, MLADIC IN JUNE

    brussels, may 21 (tanjug) - the international tribunal for war crimes in the former yugoslavia said tuesday it would hear evidence against (bosnian serb) republika srpska president radovan karadzic and army commander gen. ratko mladic in june.

    the hague tribunal spokesman christian chartier said the hearing would be organized under 'rule 61' procedure, which enables prosecutors to present evidence against those charged as war criminals but not arrested, with a view to obtaining a confirmation of the indictment and an international arrest warrent.

    the hearing will open toward the end of june and last about 10 days and a number of witnesses will be heard, chartier said.

    karadzic and mladic are charged with crimes against humanity in connection with military operations in and around sarajevo and in eastern bosnian town of srebrenica. rg-mb/dm

    [14] 'BOSNIAGATE' IN TURKISH PARLIAMENT

    by vojislav lalic

    ankara, may 21 (tanjug).- the public in turkey has focused its attention on a scandal involving the embezzlement of millions of german marks collected by turkish immigrant workers in germany for the bosnian muslims.

    the case has been in court for quite come time. now, the parliament has to deal with it.

    at a proposal forwarded by the rightist party of true path, led by former prime minister tansu ciller, the mps have decided to launch an investigation in order to establish the whereabouts of the millions of marks intended for muslim brethren in bosnia.

    reports indicate that an istanbul businessman and banker, suleyman merdzumek, helped divert the money to the coffers of the islamic party of prosperity, the leading opposition party in the country. the fundamentalists are believed to have used the money to buy votes at local elections.

    the fundamentalist party obviously had all the necessary funds at the local and recent extraordinary parliamentary elections. the party is currently the wealthiest party in turkey.

    fundamentalists in parliament reacted very nervously to the proposal to launch an investigation and establish a link between them and merdzumek because it would automatically imply an examination of their coffers.

    under the country's constitution, a special parliamentary commission will be set up to find out whether the embezzlement reports are founded.

    [15] BELGRADE DAILY: SERBS COULD ACHIEVE AUTONOMY IN CROATIA PEACEFULLY

    belgrade, may 21 (tanjug).- the international community has raised the issue of autonomy for the serbs in croatia as a realistic solution for the eastern slavonia, barania and west srem region, the belgrade daily politika said on tuesday.

    the daily described as 'particularly significant' a statement by german foreign minister klaus kinkel prior to his visit to belgrade on thursday that autonomy was a possible solution for the position of serbs in croatia.

    politika said kinkel had given a 'political cue' for what is to take place in the following weeks in the region and other parts of croatia from where about half a million serbs had been expelled over the past five years.

    the daily said the solutions insisted upon were those essentially regarding the equality of the serb population.

    serbs have ceased migrating from the region between the danube, drava and bosut rivers, and nervousness and panic have subsided, said politika and added that hopes should be realistic and autonomy not expected outside the region.

    politika sought an explanation to the return of kinkel and other international mediators to political talks on zagreb's growing condemnation toward minorities on the one hand and the peaceful policy of the serbs on the other.

    'the number of the serbs, they stay and respect for european standards on minorities, are good starting values for a diplomatic battle for autonomy', said politika.

    the daily said it perceived 'croatia's subconscious reconciliation' to the solution in a recent decision by the croatian parliament on a selective amnesty for serb soldiers from the region.

    would autonomy for the serbs not be a good and efficacious manner for its peaceful reintegration into croatia whereby all the interested parties would be satisfied. asked politika.

    [16] WASHINGTON EXPECTS KARADZIC'S DEPARTURE

    by borislav lalic

    washington, may 21 (tanjug) - u.s. state department spokesman nicholas burns said on monday that washington is 'disappointed' because the president of the bosnian serb state republika srpska, radovan karadzic, is still in power.

    commenting the latest reports from pale that karadzic is trying to preserve a part of his powers, burns said that washington would not rest until he is ousted.

    karadzic's departure from office was agreed in dayton and the fact that he has been stripped of some of his authority is insufficient, burns said.

    last saturday karadzic empowered vice-president dr. biljana plavsic to take his place in talks with international mediators regarding the implementation of the dayton peace agreement.

    sources within the clinton administration said that karadzic's departure from power is an imperative because, otherwise, the scheduled elections in bosnia will not be legitimate as the dayton agreement stipulates that persons indicted of war crimes cannot run in the elections.

    additionally, washington is in a hurry in this respect because relatively little time remains until the presidential elections in the united states and the clinton administration wants to close the 'bosnia file' during 1996 and begin withdrawing its troops from bosnia by the end of the year. end mi/dd/mb

    [17] IZETBEGOVIC'S CHIEF RIVAL SAYS HE WILL WIN ELECTIONS

    belgrade, may 21 (tanjug) - 'i shall run to win,' said bosnian muslim leader from velika kladusa fikret abdic announcing his nomination for the upcoming elections in bosnia, the belgrade daily politika said on tuesday.

    after civil war broke out in bosnia, abdic left the muslim presidency and, later, opposing fundamentalist bosnian muslim leader alija izetbegovic, formed the autonomous region of west bosnia, urging dialogue with the serb side.

    at the end of the war, abdic was defeated by izetbegovic's army and fled to neighboring croatia with his followers. he recently founded a new party -- the democratic people's community (dnz), which is said to have tens of thousands of members (estimates range from 20-100,000).

    the fact that abdic's return to the political stage is a serious, and for some even too serious, affair, is evident in the recent assassination attempt on this politician, who is controversial in many ways, politika said.

    some people believe that this failed assassination attempt on abdic's life is a signal for the start of a dangerous election campaign in bosnia, the daily siad.

    it is a fact that abdic won the first multi-party elections in bosnia-herzegovina with 1,200,000 votes while it was part of the former yugoslav federation, and that he stepped down to let izetbegovic take the office of president.

    [18] R.S. PREMIER KLICKOVIC DEMANDS COMPLIANCE WITH DAYTON ACCORD BY MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATIN TOO

    pale, may 21 (tanjug).- the new republika srpska prime minister gojko klickovic underlined tuesday that the government of the serb entity in bosnia-herzegovina would comply with the dayton accord, but would demand that the muslim-croat federation also comply with its provisions and with the timetable for the implementation of specific points.

    the muslim-croat federation has not done so until now, klickovic told the press following the first government session he chaired in pale.

    klickovic was elected prime minister last saturday by the r.s. parliament, after r.s. president radovan karadzic wednesday dismissed rajko kasagic from this post.

    noting that the session had mostly discussed methodology and its approach to contacts with representatives of the international community and muslim-croat federation, klickovic underlined that the government must take a stance on any issue to be discussed with international community representatives and that that stance must be upheld by its negotiators.

    [19] FUNERAL OF BOSNIAN SERB GENERAL DJORDJE DJUKIC

    belgrade, may 21 (tanjug).- general djordje djukic, deputy chief of staff of the republika srpska army in charge of logistics, was buried tuesday in belgrade with full military honors.

    the funeral was attended by several thousand people, including nearly all superior officers of bosnian serb army and their commander general ratko mladic.

    bosnian serb army maj.gen. petar skrbic said at the funeral that 'nothing had hurt djukic more than being handcuffed in the hague'.

    general djukic died dreaming that the great injustice of his arrest would be corrected.

    general djukic died on may 18 at the military hospital in belgrade of cancer and of exhaustion after spending nearly three months in jail.

    djukic was arrested by muslim troops on january 20 in sarajevo and transfered to the hague on war crimes charges by the tribunal. he was released conditionally for health reasons on april 24.

    [20] U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CROATIA HELPS ARM BOSNIAN MOSLEMS

    by borislav lalic

    washington, may 21 (tanjug) - u.s. ambassador in zagreb peter galbraith appears to have both brokered as well as made moves to help arm the moslem-croat federation army secretely despite the 1991 u.n. arms ban on all of the former yugoslavia.

    galbraith is to testify before the senate foreign relations committee next week.

    after that, he will be interrogated by a committee set up recently by the house of representatives to investigate into the u.s. administration's involvement in secret arms shipments to bosnian moslems.

    the los angeles times daily discovered recently that, despite the u.n. arms ban, iran had secretely delivered arms to bosnian moslems in 1995 with a u.s. approval.

    the washington post newspaper reported tuesday that, in finding truth about the arms scandal, the largest part of the white house responsibility in the iranian arms shipments would be pinned on galbraith.

    galbraith had been in favour of the idea of a moslem-croat federation even before he was appointed ambassador to croatia in june 1993, while the federation was set up under u.s. pressure almost a year later.

    according to washington reports, it is yet to be seen if galbraith has backed other moslem countries in sending arms to bosnia.

    moreover, his role in a meeting of moslem and croat military and political officials in split in july 1995 after which croatia launched an aggression on serb krajina is yet to be established.

    the republican leaderships in the senate and the house of representatives are trying to establish all facts regarding the arms scandal, not because they believe the united states should not have helped arm bosnian moslems, but because they hope to weaken president bill clinton's position in the coming elections.

    [21] MILOSEVIC RECEIVES REPUBLIKA SRPSKA ACTING PRESIDENT PLAVSIC

    belgrade, may 21 (tanjug) - serbian president slobodan milosevic received on tuesday acting president of the (bosnian serb state) republika srpska biljana plavsic and republika srpska vice president nikola koljevic.

    plavsic and koljevic informed milosevic about major political developments in the republika srpska, designed primarily to implement in full the dayton peace accord and ensure the republika srpska's economic recovery, a statement from milosevic's cabinet said.

    upcoming elections in bosnia-herzegovina, which should be held by mid-september, are vital for the creation of democratic institutions, it was stressed during the meeting.

    in view of this, it is necessary to establish full cooperation with the mission of the organisation for security and cooperation in europe (osce), which is authorised under the dayton accord to coordinate activity conducive to the elections.

    the need was especially stressed for ensuring freedom of movement and appointing in good time election commissions in all municipalities in the republika srpska.

    republika srpska acting president biljana plavsic informed the president of the yugoslav republic of serbia also about the drafting of rules for an equal representation of the political parties in the election campaign in the republika srpska.

    the meeting was attended also by yugoslav vice premier nikola sainovic.

    [22] TURKEY, BOSNIAN MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION EXPAND MILITARY COOPERATION

    by vojislav lalic

    ankara, may 21 (tanjug) - the army of the muslim-croat federation in bosnia-herzegovina is forging long-term ties with the turkish military industry.

    the turkish anadolia news agency said on tuesday that a delegation headed by bosnian muslim defence minister hasan cengic visited ankara last week and discussed at length long-term cooperation in the military industry.

    quoting unidentified sources, anadolia said that a turkish military delegation would soon be visiting bosnia-herzegovina to investigate the possibility of cooperation in manufacturing military equipment and armament.

    sixty percent of the military industry of former yugoslavia is said to have been concentrated in bosnia-herzegovina, and many of the factories are said to be about to resume production.

    the training of the federation's soldiers and officers formally began in ankara on monday, with the arrival of the first batch of 200 troops who are to stay on for three months.

    under a programme drawn up by washington and ankara, turkey has taken upon itself to train the muslim-croat army's officers and men.

    many of the relevant details are not being disclosed, but it has been learned that officers from the muslim-croat federation will be coming to turkey at intervals until the end of the year, to be trained in turkish military outfits.

    ankara and sarajevo have recently signed a separate agreement on cooperation in this field, which is now beginning to be implemented.

    [23] KRAJISNIK MEETS WITH BILDT, IFOR ARMY COMMANDER GEN. WALKER

    pale, may 21 (tanjug) - speaker of the (bosnian serb) republika srpska parliament momcilo krajisnik met on tuesday afternoon with high representative for bosnia carl bildt and army commander of the nato-led implementation force (ifor) general michael walker.

    after the four-hour meeting, bildt said he had been informed about a large number of issues, but failed to specify which issues. he said he would comment on them when he was in a position to do so.

    he said his team would monitor coming activities in preparing elections in bosnia-herzegovina to be held in september.

    the meeting was attended also by republika srpska premier gojko klickovic and foreign minister aleksa buha.

    [24] U.S. ENVOY KORNBLUM TO RETURN TO BALKANS

    washington, may 21 (tanjug) - a u.s. state department spokesman said on tuesday that u.s. peace envoy for the balkans john kornblum would start on another balkan tour later in the day.

    spokesman nicholas burns told a news briefing that kornblum, acting assistant secretary of state for european and canadian affairs who returned from the balkans last week, was going to step up the process of civilian implementation of the dayton accords.

    burns described this as an important mission, adding that in the next three days, kornblum would meet with serbian president slobodan milosevic, croatian president franjo tudjman and bosnian muslim leader alija izetbegovic.

    the clinton administration is worried that radovan karadzic is still in power and has influence in the (bosnian serb state) republika srpska, burns said.

    he added that washington would have no communication with karadzic, despite his manoeuvre of calling a referendum in an effort to cling to power, and would continue to work for karadzic's isolation and marginalization in the republika srpska's politics.

    [25] HOLBROOKE ADMITS INVOLVEMENT IN ARMS DELIVERIES TO BOSNIAN MUSLIMS

    washington, may 21 (tanjug) - the united states' former negotiator in the balkans richard holbrooke admitted on tuesday he had known and been involved in iranian arms shipments to bosnian muslims.

    testifying before the senate intelligence committee, holbrooke said he had for a time explored other channels for arms deliveries as well.

    he confirmed reports disclosed in the u.s. press some time ago that he had worked in 1994 to find other states, mostly islamic, apart from iran, to deliver arms to the bosnian muslims, but the idea was not put into practice.

    the clinton administration abandoned the idea as likely to cause friction with european partners.

    [26] IPTF: GROUP OF MUSLIMS HELD BY BOSNIAN SERBS TREATED CORRECTLY

    bijeljina, may 22 (tanjug) - spokesman for the international police force (iptf) in the muslim town of tuzla in northeastern bosnia angeli andren said wednesday that the group of seven muslims captured around zvornik recently and accused of terrorism were treated correctly.

    the group, currently under criminal investigation in bijeljina, have the right to medical check-up, clean clothes and may take showers and talk to iptf staff, andren told a press conference in bijeljina in the northeast of the bosnian serb entity, the republika srpska.

    iptf commander in bijeljina adrian tierney voiced satisfaction over cooperation between the international police and the serb police and local residents.

    tierney said the group was allowed to talk to international police without the presence of serb officials or police.

    [27] SERBS, CROATS TO RETURN TO FOUR SLAVONIAN VILLAGES SOON

    belgrade, may 22 (tanjug) - the united nations transitional administration for east slavonia (untaes) and the u.n. high commissioner for refugees (unhcr) are preparing a pilot project of the return of serbs and croats to four villages in slavonia.

    the unhcr belgrade office said in an announcement on wedensday these were the villages of antunovac and ernestinovo (east slavonia), bilje (baranja) and kusonje (west slavonia).

    the region of east slavonia, baranja and west srem is a territory between croatia and the federal republic of yugoslavia which was placed -- by an agreement signed by representatives of the croatian authorities and local serbs -- under one-year transitional administration of the united nations which may be extended for another one-year mandate.

    the first step in preparing the refugee return project will be made by untaes which will engage its teams to clear mines in the village areas of antunovac, ernestinovo, bilje and kusonje.

    then the unhcr, in cooperation with international organizations and donors, will begun repair work on private houses, public buildings and will reconstruct infrastructure in the villages to furnish the minimum conditions for refugees to return to their homes, the unhcr announcement said.

    untaes civilian affairs chief gerard fischer said on tuesday that pilot programs now being made should hold equally for serbs, croats and hungarians.

    Copyright © Tanjug, Yugoslavia, 1996


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