Tanjug Daily News Review, 96-05-28

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

May 28, 1996
NEWS AGENCY - TANJUG
DAILY NEWS REVIEW

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: POSITIVE TRENDS IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS

[02] NEW ROUND OF TALKS ON SUCCESSION TO FORMER YUGOSLAV FEDERATION

[03] COUNCIL OF EUROPE AGAIN POSTPONES CROATIA'S MEMBERSHIP

[04] BOSNIAN SERB POLICE TO GUARANTEE SAFETY TO MUSLIMS FOR RECIPROCITY

[05] 400 REFUGEES WILL RETURN FROM CZECH REPUBLIC TO BOSNIA IN SUMMER

[06] YUGOSLAV, RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS: BOSNIA NEEDS MORE MATERIAL AID

[07] CROAT POLICEMAN SERIOUSLY WOUNDS MUSLIM CIVILIAN IN BOSNIA

[08] YUGOSLAV EXECUTIVE SEES NEED FOR RE-EVALUATING TARIFFS WITH MACEDONIA

[09] LIBERALIZATION OF YUGOSLAVIA'S TRADE

[10] GERMAN COMPANY RESTORES COOPERATION WITH BANJALUKA FIRM

[11] YUGOSLAV PRIORITIES ARE TO RENEW LINKS WITH WORLD TRADE AND FINANCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

[12] BRITISH SOLDIERS TO REMAIN IN BOSNIA

[13] CROATIAN PRESIDENT DENOUNCES EUROPE

[14] SUICIDE OF JOURNALIST DOUBTED

[15] SLOVENIAN EXPERT: ALL WHO CLAIM THAT BREAK-UP OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA HAS NOT AFFECTED THEM ARE LYING

[16] UNHCR SPOKESMAN: PARTIAL AMNESTY PREVENTS RETURN OF ALL REFUGEE SERBS

[17] MUSLIMS BAN ACCESS TO MASS GRAVES OF SERBS

[18] TALKS ON MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION IN BOSNIA

[19] SERBIAN PREMIER PROMISES COOPERATION WITH WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

[20] BELGRADE DAILY: AUTONOMY FOR SERB REGIONS IN CROATIA

[21] JEWS OF YUGOSLAV DESCENT PROTEST WITH TUDJMAN OVER JASENOVAC DEATH CAMP

[22] KILLED JOURNALIST KNEW TOO MUCH ABOUT MASSACRES IN BOSNIA

[23] CONTACT GROUP ISSUES WARNING TO CROATIAN PRESIDENT

[24] SINGLE CUSTOMS SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION IN MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION

[25] FIRST BUS ROUTE LINKING SERB BANJA LUKA AND MUSLIM ZENICA

[26] CROATIAN RADIO: MUSLIMS ATTACK UNHCR OFFICE

[27] MEDICAL AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN SERBIA STAGE PROTEST RALLY

[28] BULGARIAN DOCTOR WHO TREATED SERBS IN BOSNIA WANTS TO TESTIFY IN HAGUE

[29] NEW SERBIAN MINISTERS SAY THEY WILL WORK FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY

[30] KINKEL URGES JOINT POLICY ON REFUGEES AND ASYLUM-SEEKERS

[31] UNITED STATES IS NOT TIPPING ITS HAND YET

[32] TUDJMAN REJECTS DEMANDS FOR NEW LAW ON AMNESTY FOR SERBS

[01] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: POSITIVE TRENDS IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS

in the january-april period, industrial production increased by 3.3 percent as against the comparable period last year, zebic said, adding that the rate of the national currency was stable.

in the field of agriculture, 91 percent of the planned areas have been sown according to figures obtained by mid-may, he said.

we maintain, however, that it will be difficult to achieve the planned 14 percent monthly increase in production without strucutural changes, particularly in the field of industry, and foreign investments which are necessary for working capital, zebic added.

retail prices increased by 4.8 percent in february and 7.2 in march, but only 3.1 percent in april, zebic said, adding that exports in the first four months had dropped by 9.1 percent as against the volume of exports last year, while imports increased by 3.7 percent.

zebic said that exports to macedonia fell by 63 percent while exports to other areas, primarily developed and developing countries, increased by 71 percent.

growth is hampered by insufficient working capital and about two billion dollars will lack for the financing of production this year, he said.

zebic pointed out that some progress had been made in dealing with the insolvency of banks but that the debts of banks, that is those of their clinets, were constantly increasing because of non-reimbursed credits.

the yugoslav deputy prime minister said that the government's expert-level agency for the rehabilitation of banks had drawn up a concept which involved modifications in the functioning of commercial banks.

[02] NEW ROUND OF TALKS ON SUCCESSION TO FORMER YUGOSLAV FEDERATION

watts is expected to visit zagreb, sarajevo, belgrade and skopje in the next few days and discuss the issue with delegations of croatia, the muslim-croat federation, the federal republic of yugoslavia and macedonia.

in the latest round of talks, the delegations of the states which emeroed from the former yugoslav federation will thoroughly inform the international mediator on their proposals and requests. watts is expected to try to harmonize the basis for talks on the division of assets and liabilities of the former yugoslav federation.

slovenia, which forcibly seceded from the former yugoslav federation, has reiterated its stand that it has the right to succeed to part of the former yugoslavia's property.

head of the slovenian delegation miran mejak said that slovenia first wanted the foreign currency reserves and gold to be divided and then the yugoslav real estate abroad.

over the past four weeks, watts held in brussels the first round of talks on succession wit the delegations of all states emerging from the former sfry.

[03] COUNCIL OF EUROPE AGAIN POSTPONES CROATIA'S MEMBERSHIP

the association of balkan news agencies (abna) quoted committee vice chairman van der linden as saying in salonika that the council expected croatia first to meet commitments undertaken by president franjo tudjman.

van der linden told reporters after a committee meeting that the council wanted croatia fully to honour its commitments, especially as regards government measures against the media, election of a mayor of zagreb and extradition of war crime suspects to the hague tribunal.

van der linden further said that the committee members would visit zagreb next wednesday to see if these conditions had been met and if any others were being violated.

the negotiations about croatia's membership of the council of europe will be resumed on the basis of the committee's report, he said.

[04] BOSNIAN SERB POLICE TO GUARANTEE SAFETY TO MUSLIMS FOR RECIPROCITY

public security official in prijedor simo drjaca said this on tuesday, adding that the incident on may 26, when serbs prevented a group of muslims from sanski most from entering prijedor, would never have happened had there been cooperation and agreement between the two sides.

'the muslim side constantly insists on the freedom of movement, but it doesn't respect it itself,' drljaca said.

he said this was evident from individual incidents in which bosnian serbs had been arrested and beaten while visiting their homes in the zones of separation between the muslim-croat federation and the republika srpska, the serb entity in bosnia.

[05] 400 REFUGEES WILL RETURN FROM CZECH REPUBLIC TO BOSNIA IN SUMMER

the weekly said the czech interior ministry planned to organize four charter flights to sarajevo from july till september, spending 220,000 dollars.

[06] YUGOSLAV, RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS: BOSNIA NEEDS MORE MATERIAL AID

ryabov, who headed a delegation of russian parliamentarians touring the russian troops within the international peace implementation force (ifor) in bosnia and the srem-baranja region, said they are carrying out all tasks successfully.

bogdanovic and ryabov also discussed the activities of their parliament's defense and security boards primarily in the legal sphere, the yugoslav parliament's press service said. end ju/mb/mb

[07] CROAT POLICEMAN SERIOUSLY WOUNDS MUSLIM CIVILIAN IN BOSNIA

reuter quoted ivanko as telling the press in sarajevo that this occured last weekend during a control by the croatian policeman.

according to ivanko, the croatian policeman stopped the car driven by the muslim, who was accompanied by his wife, and demanded their identity papers. when the driver showed his muslim papers, the policeman demanded croatian ones and then shot him in the head.

ivanko also accused the croatian police in bosnia of failing to cooperate with the u.n.-led international police in the resolution of the incident.

the croatian police only informed the u.n. police force that the perpetrator of the attack had been arrested, but did not say anything about the details of the investigation, ivanko said. end mb/mb

[08] YUGOSLAV EXECUTIVE SEES NEED FOR RE-EVALUATING TARIFFS WITH MACEDONIA

zastava car factory director general srboljub vasovic was speaking after meeting in skopje with macedonian president kiro gligorov.

vasovic said that legal protection of the property of firms founded and developed with yugoslav capital needed also to be reappraised.

he said that this had been stressed also in his talk with macedonian vice premier and economy minister becir zuta.

the need for promoting bilateral economic cooperation in mutual interest and on the market principles was stressed both in these talks and in meetings with macedonian businessmen.

vasovic met with executives of dozens of macedonian corporations which are trying to intensify or establish business dealings with zastava of kragujevac, central serbia.

he said that zastava was planning to manufacture about 27,000 vehicles in 1996, and that macedonian producers had a role to play in this plan.

zastava has five joint-stock companies and thirty firms in macedonia with which it has continually maintained business and cooperation ties forged in former yugoslavia.

in the past year, the kragujevac producer sold 1,200 vehicles in macedonia, which makes them among the most popular cars in macedonia, right alongside the skoda and the korean daewoo.

zastava has 12 sales salons and 14 authorised dealers in macedonia.

[09] LIBERALIZATION OF YUGOSLAVIA'S TRADE

at a meeting of directors of manufacturing and foreign trade companies at the serbian chamber of commerce on monday, siradovic pointed to the need to adequately regulate the protection of domestic production in the process of liberalization.

siradovic said that the yugoslav government was negotiating with the world bank, the international monetary fund and the world trade organization on its status in these organizations.

president of the serbian chamber of commerce vlajko stojiljkovic said that the volume of trade exchange in the first four months of 1996 was not satisfactory.

imports stood at 936 million dollars while exports reached only 460 million dollars.

yugoslavia mainly exported raw materials while exports of finished products was lower than planned.

stojiljkovic denounced a lack of organization in winning new markets and said that there was unfair competition between a number of yugoslav companies in concluding deals with foreign partners which could only harm the companies and the yugoslav economy.

[10] GERMAN COMPANY RESTORES COOPERATION WITH BANJALUKA FIRM

the german news agency dpa said salamander had contracted with the footwear factory in the biggest bosnian serb town of banjaluka a weekly production of 8,500 pairs of women's shoes.

salamander spokesman helmut kriegler said the banjaluka partner provided a favourable production cost and good quality.

salamander had maintained very good cooperation with the banjaluka factory in earlier times but it stopped when the bosnian civil war broke out.

[11] YUGOSLAV PRIORITIES ARE TO RENEW LINKS WITH WORLD TRADE AND FINANCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

serbia aims to realize over 50 percent of its social product in foreign trade, with exports exceeding imports, stoiljkovic told a delegation of journalists from 25 countries who are visiting novi sad, capital of serbia's northern vojvodina province.

serbia's basic orientation will be to intensify economic cooperation with its neighbors, e.u. countries and the members of the commonwealth of independent states, he said.

stoiljkovic said that yugoslavia is implementing an economic policy whose basic aims are to maintain stable prices, the stability of the yugoslav national currency (dinar) and the liberalization of foreign trade relations.

in yugoslavia and serbia conditions have been created for foreign investments and the renewal of all kinds of industrial and trade activities in the free trade zone along the danube, in cities such as belgrade, novi sad and others where tax, customs, foreign trade and foreign currency exemptions have been secured, he said. end ju/mb/mb

[12] BRITISH SOLDIERS TO REMAIN IN BOSNIA

british troops will be part of an international mission and, as the daily says, the fundamental question arises as to how many foreign and british troops will remain in bosnia and in which political arrangement.

according to british military circles quoted by guardian it is certain that the further international military presence in bosnia will not be identical with the current mandate and will include a far smaller force.

there are currently about 60,000 nato-led troops from 34 countries serving in ifor in bosnia and herzegovina.

according to british estimates, great britain would have about 6,000 troops in the new mandate, and the international force would not be stronger than 15,000.

more reliable estimates or even a decision might be expected as early as next week at a nato meeting in berlin.

the main problem is how to organize the new international force in bosnia and which countries will contribute troops to it, london sources said.

guardian observed that a question of the u.s. contribution to the new force had not yet been resolved.

british appraisals show that washington may be expected to make final decisions only in october, after elections in bosnia, when quite different conditions will be created for defining a new phase of foreign presence in this former yugoslav republic.

[13] CROATIAN PRESIDENT DENOUNCES EUROPE

zagreb, may 27 (tanjug) - following a decision by european ministers to indefinitely postpone croatia's admission to the council of europe, croatian authorities are nervously trying to minimize the diplomatic shock in the public and find a way out of the country's awkward international position.

croatian president franjo tudjman convened a meeting of the presidential council on saturday. the two-day meeting was attended by 150 top-level state and party officials and representatives of opposition parties.

at the meeting, tudjman rejected the objections made by the european ministers to undemocratic behaviour and totalitarian system in croatia. tudjman even accused the international community, particularly europe, of doing everything to 'weaken' croatia so as to 'influence its internal and foreign state policy.'

tudjman insisted that croatia had been exposed to pressure having no precedent in the history of diplomacy and warned opposition leaders that inter-party rivalry should be abandoned and more national conscience shown instead.

opposition leaders, however, clearly stated that the ruling party could not endlessly evade its responsibility and that it should consider its own blunders.

moreover, opposition officials said that europe could not be blamed for the crisis in zagreb over the election of the mayor, unparalleled pressure exerted on the media and human rights abuses.

in first reactions to the meeting, the independent rijeka paper novi list said that tudjman was creating an atmosphere of national and state endangerment and that he was seeking and offering national unity on the basis of that fear.

political analysts also pointed to tudjman's attempt to make use of 'u.s.-european rivalry'. he denounced europe for its stand towards croatia and stressed that zagreb's top priority was to establish close partnership with the united states.

tudjman said that the principal conclusion after the two-day meeting was that croatia would not accept or sign any conditions for its admission to the council of europe.

the meeting was held ahead of a meeting of the group for relations with central and eastern european countries in strasbourg on may 30. the group is expected, among other things, to discuss croatia's admission to the council of europe. in early june, the issue will be discussed by other higher bodies of the council of europe.

after everything that could be heard at the presidential council, there remains to be seen whether zagreb's stand will be accepted by europe because it had been expected that the meeting would focus on adherence to european standards and commitment to obligations assumed for admission to the important european institution.

[14] SUICIDE OF JOURNALIST DOUBTED

rome, may 27 (tanjug) - doubts are rising that french journaist xavier gautier did commit suicide as originally believed.

gautier presumably investigated private trade in human organs that was going on between bosnia and italy.

gautier, french le figaro staff reporter on the civil war in bosnia for two years, was found dead in spain on may 19. his arms bound together, the noose was tightened around his neck. his family now demands additional investigation into his death.

the 'italian connection' is believed to be involved in the whole affair, because on the wall of the house where his body had been found, one could read the words written in italian 'traitors' and 'red devils.'

several italian papers recalled on monday that gautier had busied himself as of late 1994 also with secret arms supplies to muslims and croats, which involved austrians and italians.

to all appearances, the main role was played by an italian mercenary, the italian corriere della sera paper wrote in recalling that a detailed article on this matter was carried by le figaro on january 6, 1995.

the italian paper added that the british journalist jonathan moyle also was found hanged by the neck. this journalist had also investigated the problem of illicit arms sales to muslims and croats.

the rome il messaggero paper said that an unpublished account by gautier dealt with the largescale trade in human organs unfolding between bosnia and italy. this account, il messaggero said, was retold by gautier to one of his colleagues, not mentioned by name.

the same paper believed that an italian mercenary, most probably the mysterious 'red devil,' was involved in this trade. connected with the mafia, he had been 'working between (croatian adriatic town of) rijeka and sarajevo.'

'they were slaughtering people like cattle, beating men, women and children down to complete exhaustion so that they would not let a drop of blood. then they would extract their organs as if from pigs,' said gautier who was reporting from the part of bosnia under muslim and croat control. he said he knew the names of five people thus beaten to death.

among the suspects there was also the itailan physician from trieste, marino andolina, who had been to bosnia more than once as member of different humanitarian missions. he, however, denied that hospitals in trieste had anything to do with this savagery.

[15] SLOVENIAN EXPERT: ALL WHO CLAIM THAT BREAK-UP OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA HAS NOT AFFECTED THEM ARE LYING

in an interview to the slovenian daily delo, apih said that the former yugoslav state 'was the only market which had appreciated slovenian goods' which europe 'is not ready to accept and pay.'

in an unusually outspoken account, first in slovenian media in recent years, apih said that the former 'yugoslavia itself was an attractive affluent state' which, he said, had meant much for slovenia.

had the talks on a confederation succeded, 'slovenia would have retained its market and efficiently defended itself from political and cultural violence of others,' he said.

'it would really be foolish to say that we are not sorry to lose the yugoslav market,' apih said.

[16] UNHCR SPOKESMAN: PARTIAL AMNESTY PREVENTS RETURN OF ALL REFUGEE SERBS

the spokesman of the united nations high commissioner for refugees told tanjug that this law on partial amnesty was a grave reason for the concern of serbs who wanted to return to their homes.

that is why the unhcr has already sent a letter to croatian president franjo tudjman, elkhoury said, to consider passing a law on a general amnesty because the current one directly prevents the return of serbs to other parts of croatia, especially krajina.

elkhoury gave as another reason for the concern of serbs that croatia was still not providing security to serb refugees. they would like to return, but they are afraid to do so, he said.

the international community is exerting great pressure on croatia and this is one of the reasons why it was not admitted to the council of europe, elkhoury said.

the u.n. security council seven days ago adopted a presidential statement asking zagreb to make the amnesty a general one and to complete this process as quickly as possible.

about 30,000 requests for return have been filed by expelled serbs with the croatian government office in belgrade so far, and only 4,000 of them have been approved, all of them cases where it was a matter of reuniting families.

elkhoury said the first group of about 20 people, mostly croats, should return to the croatian towns of zagreb, sisak, rijeka, and opatija in early june.

he said that, for the present, his office and the u.n. transitional administration for eastern slavonija (untaes) were working on a pilot program for the return of serb and croat refugees to four slavonian villages.

it is very important for us as the initiators and financial backers of this pilot program that these four villages are of a mixed ethnic structure, that they have not been heavily destroyed and can be reconstructed relatively quickly, and that they are near the main roads which facilitates reconstruction work, he said.

according to unhcr estimates, the project might be realized within 4-6 months, when 5,000 people could return to these four villages.

however, the pilot program might be shelved, he said, as representatives of the serb region of eastern slavonija, baranja and west srem have not given approval for the start of its realization, conditioning this with croatia passing a law on general amnesty.

[17] MUSLIMS BAN ACCESS TO MASS GRAVES OF SERBS

this is what tanjug was told monday by nedeljko savic, chairman of the exchanges commission of the first krajina corps of the army of the bosnian serb repubika srpska (r.s.).

the exhumation of the graves should have begun on may 23 to be ended by june 26.

so far the muslim-croat side admitted that 47 mass graves existed in western bosnia and 94 mass graves in all bosnia and herzegovina (bih), said savic.

savic estimated that much more mass graves were existing because some of the areas had not yet been either accessible or explored.

he said that international factors had been insufficiently engaged in extending assistance concerning exhumation.

without their participation it was impossible to determine even an approximate number of serbs killed or missing in the bih, said savic.

he held that only the most responsible international factors, notably high representative carl bildt, could force the muslims to apply the part of the dayton ageement relating to the release of imprisoned serbs and the finding out of the fate of the missing serbs.

as has been agreed, exhumation of mass graves in the gahovo region should begin on june 10, in bihac, kljuc, sarajevo and mt ozren on june 15, and in drvar on june 26. these are the localities the dayton agreement gave to the muslim-croat federation.

savic held that estimates of 1,300 missing serb soldiers and 800 missing serb civilians were unreliable and the figures must have been higher.

great difficulty was encountered in trying to determine the final figures of the missing soldiers and civilians of the republika srpska because croatia is not obliged by the dayton agreement to release all prisoners, said savic and added that a large number of imprisoned serbs were still in croatia.

croatia's regular troops took part in the war in bosnia on the side of bosnian croats and muslims.

[18] TALKS ON MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION IN BOSNIA

turkish foreign minister emre gonensay told a press conference in ankara that he hoped that, in addition to muslim troops, croat troops from bosnia would also soon start arriving for training in turkish units and military schools.

in agreement with washington, ankara has taken the leading role in training members of the muslim-croat army.

the training of muslim troops from bosnia officialy began in ankara recently, and the pentagon has taken the role of arming the bosnian army.

many countries, primarily france and russia, are opposed to this plan of training and arming the bosnian army since they believe priority should at this time be given to the reconstruction of war-ravaged bosnia and its economic development.

foreign ministers mate granic of croatia and jadranko prlic of the sarajevo muslim government also attended the press conference.

it was heard that the essential question at this time was how to overcome the problems which are preventing the muslim-croat federation from starting to function.

bosnian muslims and croats fought each other bitterly for a year and then, in march 1994, they formed a federation under pressure from the united states. the binational federation has not started to function yet, however, because of conflicts between its nominal partners.

[19] SERBIAN PREMIER PROMISES COOPERATION WITH WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

meeting with reporters for some 30 media from 24 countries, marjanovic said that the hague-based international tribunal for war crimes in former yugoslavia would shortly open an office in belgrade.

he stressed that the federal republic of yugoslavia (serbia and montenegro) was fully determined to see the peace accords implemented and the anti-yugoslav sanctions, which were now only suspended, fully lifted and the country integrated in the international community.

there is no reason why the sanctions should not be lifted at this time, as it is clear that (yugoslavia) will consistently implement everything agreed and signed at dayton, marjanovic said.

he stressed that none of the war criminals in bosnia-herzegovina could remain on the political scene.

asked about the attitude to bosnian serb army commander gen. ratko mladic, marjanovic said that nobody had raised the point of the other two sides in bosnia -- the croats and the muslims -- although none of the three sides in the bosnian war was blameless.

gen. mladic, commander of the army of the (bosnian serb state) republika srpska, was in belgrade last week to attend the funeral of his fellow-general djordje djukic.

marjanovic said that the matter was in the jurisdiction of yugoslav federal authorities, but that everybody must first be proved to be a war criminal and, besides, the funeral of a collaborator was a special situation and sacred in the customs of any nation.

marjanovic said he was optimistic about life prospects in bosnia-herzegovina and believed that all peoples in the region who had been 'manipulated by their nationalistic leaders' had had enough of war and that the tragedy must finally come to an end.

there will be elections and peace will hold, because not a single citizen of bosnia-herzegovina wants war, he added.

speaking about the situation in serbia's southern province of kosovo-metohija, which is predominantly populated by ethnic albanians, marjanovic said that incidents there were not being caused by the government but by separatists.

kosovo-metohija is yugoslavia's internal affair, which is also the position of the international community, he said.

he stressed that nowhere in europe and the world did ethnic minorities have greater rights and that there was therefore no reason for ethnic albanians' dissatisfaction and refusal to exercise their legal prerogatives to the full.

marjanovic predicted a convincing victory for the socialists in parliamentary elections in the autumn, who he said were stronger than ever before.

the opposition is not serious, they have no programmes, they are conservative and largely linked to elements abroad who wish no good to this country, he said.

[20] BELGRADE DAILY: AUTONOMY FOR SERB REGIONS IN CROATIA

the proposal was recently made by german foreign minister klaus kinkel as a solution to the only remaining region of the former state of serbs in croatia, eastern slavonia, barania and west srem.

politika quoted belgrade diplomatic sources and its own sources to the effect that the german government was ready to 'hear serb arguments on autonomy,' adding that a non-party delegation of 'authentic representatives of serb interests' would be visiting bonn.

the daily said in view of the croatian government's nervous reactions it was necessary to make radical moves to ensure stability in the until-recently war-torn region.

croatian president franjo tudjman rejected the proposal on autonomy at a recently held session of the presidential council, describing it as an attempt to draw croatia into a yugoslav, balkan federalism, whereas croatia wanted to enter into europe.

politika called tudjman's argument a 'jesuit fraud,' adding it would not hold water in europe.

tudjman has halted croatia's admission into the council of europe with such undemocratic moves as selective amnesty for serbs, undermining the muslim-croat federation, suppressing freedom of the press and failing to recognize zagreb's opposition mayor.

in the reduced space for diplomatic activity and belgrade's consistent peace policy, politika sees a firm political surrounding for serbs in croatia to pursue their struggle for autonomy.

politika quoted sources close to u.n. administrator for eastern slavonia jacques klein as saying he was prepared for a solution to the serb problem that would prevent new international conflicts.

[21] JEWS OF YUGOSLAV DESCENT PROTEST WITH TUDJMAN OVER JASENOVAC DEATH CAMP

in a letter recently sent to tudjman, the israeli president and a large number of jewish institutions throughout the world, the association said tudjman's decision was no less cynical than an idea to build a supermarket at the site of the auschwitz death camp.

the letter said tudjman had not even responded to the association's protest.

jews who were born in various parts of the former yugoslavia and who have survived the holocaust do not want to light candles for their dead and the victims' executioners at the same time, the letter said.

director of the yugoslav museum of the victims of genocide milan bulajic described recently tudjman's decision as morbid, accusing him of minimising the number of victims who had perished in the jasenovac death camp by claiming that there were only tens of thousands of them.

bulajic said 19,554 children aged 1-14 were killed in the jasenovac death camp, and said documentation kept by germany as well as the croatian state commission showed that 700,000 persons had perished in the camp -- mainly serbs, but also jews, gypsies and croat antifascists.

figures released by the association of jewish communities in yugoslavia show that 90 percent of the jews (about 20,000 people) killed in the jasenovac death camp were from croatia.

[22] KILLED JOURNALIST KNEW TOO MUCH ABOUT MASSACRES IN BOSNIA

paris, may 28 (tanjug)- le figaro, the french daily with the highest circulation, has said that its reporter havier gautier has paid with his life for making a disclosure about the smuggling of arms into croatia and bosnia-herzegovina.

'i gave to havier a file about the smuggling of arms into bosnia. i cautioned him to be very careful. the very possession of the file was very dangerous. for my part, i am covered,' the daily recently quoted roberto delle fave, an 'italian mercenary,' as saying.

le figaro said delle fave was 'well known in his country from his accounts in the press about massacres he participated in in the bosnian war.'

'it is clear from delle fave's accounts that gautier was killed for 'badly using' the hot file he got from the mercenary,' le figaro said.

'gautier covered the war in bosnia-herzegovina for our newspaper. he confided to his family that he was in danger after the publishing of his reports from bosnia,' the daily said.

havier gautier was found dead in the house he rented for holidays on the island of minorque.

he was found hanging with 'his hands tied at the stomach,' as the neighbour who found the body has testified.

an investigation is under way.

della fave told le figaro over the phone that he had met five times with gautier in sarajevo, zagreb and rijeka, and the last time in nice in february.

he said he had provided the journalist with information about the smuggling of arms into croatia and bosnia-herzegovina in violation of the u.n. embargo on arms deliveries to the former yugoslavia.

della fave said 'a number of details indicate that the journalist's death is a very mysterious affair.'

'for instance, crosses and the words 'traitor, red devil' in italian were found inscribed on the rented house and blue crosses on the journalist's chest and hands,' the italian said.

'the u.s., italy and iran are involved in arms smuggling, and libya, slovenia and croatia secured bank guarantees and transport,' le figaro said. by disclosing the truth, gautier obviously sentenced himself to death.

[23] CONTACT GROUP ISSUES WARNING TO CROATIAN PRESIDENT

the ambassadors conferred with croatian president franjo tudjman and informed him of the stands of their countries, it was said in zagreb on tuesday.

the objections are in line with a recent statement by the u.n. security council on the need for zagreb to proclaim a general amnesty for serbs who took part in the war in that former yugoslav republic.

the croatian parliament recently passed a bill on amnesty only for serbs from the territory of the serb area of eastern slavonia, baranja and western srem.

the area is located between croatia and the federal republic of yugoslavia. under the erdut agreement signed last year, the area was put under u.n. transitional administration for one year, with the possibility of extending the u.n. mandate for another year.

during deliberations in parliament, serb representatives urged the mps to encompass all areas from which the serbs had escaped.

tudjman said at a presidential council, held at the weekend, that 90 percent of serbs had fled croatia.

[24] SINGLE CUSTOMS SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION IN MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION

muslim government prime minister hasan muratovic said that customs revenue had dropped after april 1, when a single customs system was supposed to begin to function on borders with croatia.

the muslim radio said that there was no federal police at border crossings with croatia but policemen and customs officers of the croatian republic of herceg-bosna (the state of bosnian croats) instead.

one of the participants in the deliberations, said that only croats were allowed to cross the border at a border crossing but he declined to say which one.

the customs duties charged on goods destined for the muslim part of the muslim-croat federation have gone to the coffers of the croatian republic of herceg-bosna, it was said at the session.

the federation was set up in the spring of 1994 after one-year fierce fighting between muslims and croats but the federation has remained a dead letter because of animosity between the nominal federation partners.

[25] FIRST BUS ROUTE LINKING SERB BANJA LUKA AND MUSLIM ZENICA

eight passangers embarked on the journey. the bus will run on tuesdays, thursdays and saturdays.

the opening of the bus link was announced about ten days ago after a visit by u.n. high commissioner for refugees sadako ogata.

ogata said that the opening of new bus lines is expected soon.

[26] CROATIAN RADIO: MUSLIMS ATTACK UNHCR OFFICE

the radio said that the incident occurred on saturday, when the muslims wanted to lynch unhcr employee dennis chorich after he was arrested and seriously injured by the muslim police.

according to the radio, in the muslim town of konjic, central bosnia, the muslim military police on sunday arrested two policemen of the croatian state of herceg-bosna.

the radio said that the muslim military police were carrying rifles in violation of the dayton agreement.

herceg-bosna radio claimed that another six croats had been arrested in konjic on their way to kiseljak, close to sarajevo. the radio said they were detained as hostages in retalliation for the arrest of three muslim soldiers a week ago in the region of kiseljak. end mb/mb

[27] MEDICAL AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN SERBIA STAGE PROTEST RALLY

the protesters expressed readiness for dialogue with the serbian government, which they said had so far ignored their demands for a better life.

representatives of the serbian, vojvodina, and several municipal committees of trade unions of medical workers, and certain doctors and social workers, said they did not see economic program amendments and printing of money as the solution to this problem, but that regular financial funds should be redistributed.

the protest was supported also by the trade union of serbian administration and legislature workers, whose president njegos potezica said the demands were minimal and that they should be followed through to the end.

[28] BULGARIAN DOCTOR WHO TREATED SERBS IN BOSNIA WANTS TO TESTIFY IN HAGUE

'i have followed all the activities of the hague tribunal, which is increasingly turning inta a farce, and it is clear that you have serious orders and intents to, for the first time in world history, put on the dock an entire nation,' dr. nikolov said in the letter to prosecutor richard goldstone.

'i have saved hundreds of serb lives in the recent war. in the logic of the hague tribunal, i have saved criminals and vandals and therefore i deserve to be punished. i am at your disposal and i want to refute your absurd charges,' dr. nikolov said. end ju/mb/mb

[29] NEW SERBIAN MINISTERS SAY THEY WILL WORK FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY

the new minister of science and technology academician dusan kanazir said his ministry would give priority to closer scientific relations with the world and yugoslavia's integration in large world scientific systems.

special care will be taken to provide resources for young scientists and to bring back experts who left serbia during the sanctions period, kanazir said.

the new minister of agriculture, water resources and forestry nedeljko sipovac said that half of serbia's population makes its living in agriculture and that the government would from now on provide better conditions to farmers and to the sector as a whole.

the new minister of tourism (newly created portfolio) mirjana stankovic said the creation of her ministry would help serbia get access to foreign markets in this branch and that the success of her ministry would be measured by the number of foreign visitors to serbia and federal republic of yugoslavia.

the new minister of transports svetolik kostadinovic said his principal task would be to ensure smooth traffic on all local and international routes, especially as the u.n. sanctions had caused great losses in this branch to serbia and yugoslavia.

the new minister of information aleksandar tijanic, a journalist for the past 25 years, said that he was a little surprised by his election and that he did not have any definite plans yet.

[30] KINKEL URGES JOINT POLICY ON REFUGEES AND ASYLUM-SEEKERS

in an interview to the daily die welt, kinkel reiterated his earlier stand that it was necessary to form a round table of representatives of the federal state, provinces and municipalities, and of trade unions, churches, social institutions and other non-governmental organizations.

according to the current regulations, provinces in germany are in charge of refugees. about 320,000 war refugees from bosnia are under the jurisdiction of 16 german provinces whose regulations in this area considerably differ, which has lead the ministry to ask for a joint stand on the issue.

the federal and 16 provincial ministers decided in late january that the return of refugees from bosnia should begin already on july 1 this year, but they recently had tacitly to admit it was quite possible this deadline would be postponed, perhaps even until the spring of next year.

kinkel praised all those in germany who urged the best possible status of refugees and asylum-seekers and said the country's possibilities for admitting and maintaining foreigners were nevertheless limited.

kinkel urged an adequate law on the immigration and residence of foreigners, similar to the immigration regulations adopted long since by the united states, canada, australia, and new zealand. however, the other parties of the ruling coalition in bonn are still avoiding the adoption of such laws.

[31] UNITED STATES IS NOT TIPPING ITS HAND YET

it is learned that the americans have yet to inform the other members of the contact group - france, great britain, germany and russia - about the agenda of the meeting.

however, it is believed that the talks will focus on the implementation of the dayton agreement, especially its civilian part.

according to well-informed sources in geneva, the main topics will be the september 14 elections in bosnia, problems linked to the mass return of refugees and displaced persons to the entire territory of the former yugoslavia, freedom of movement in bosnia, cooperation with the hague tribunal, etc.

diplomats in geneva do not expect any spectacular results of the announced meeting which is viewed as an integral part of the u.s. 'dynamism preserving' strategy in the application of the dayton agreement.

the diplomats claim that the forthcoming talks will also serve for establishing bilateral contacts.

the previous meeting in geneva adopted two documents. one referred to the concrete measures for speeding the implementation of the dayton agreement, most of which had been realized. the other solely aimed to stimulate the activiteis of the muslim-croat federation in bosnia, but none of its 12 provisions have been realized in practice.

following year-long fierce battles over territories in central bosnia, bosnian muslims and croats set up their federation in 1994 in washington under pressure from the united states. in practice, the federation has not functioned.

the united states is using the federation as a basis for its entire strategy of the bosnian peace process.

[32] TUDJMAN REJECTS DEMANDS FOR NEW LAW ON AMNESTY FOR SERBS

speaking at a reception he gave in zagreb to mark croatian armed forces day, tudjman said that an amnesty law had been passed for eastern slavonia, baranja and western srem, and that he would not accept any new dictates.

tudjman said he had received in zagreb representatives of the contact group and of the european union, who reiterated the request for a general amnesty law, and he stated that they wished to continue imposing conditions on croatia and to subject it to their, sometimes even contradictory, interests.

u.n. officials said that selective amnesty applying only to the serbs from the eastern slavonia, baranja and western srem region was preventing the return of all serbs to their homes.

about 300,000 serbs were expelled in croatia's aggressions on the republic of serb krajina last may and august. international observers reported at the time that for days afterwards, croatian troops continued looting and torching serb property and killing those serbs that remained, mostly elderly people.

the region of eastern slavonia, baranja and western srem is the only part of rsk on which croatia did not launch an aggression. its and croatian representatives last november reached agreement on transitional international administration of the region.

tudjman also said tuesday that croatia must continue ensuring the combat readiness of its armed forces as the situation was uncertain.

for croatia to go on on its way, it must have well trained and equipped armed forces, tudjman said. he is also croatian army commander-in-chief.

Copyright © Tanjug, Yugoslavia, 1996

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