Tanjug Daily News Review, 96-06-14

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

Jun 14, 1996
NEWS AGENCY - TANJUG
DAILY NEWS REVIEW

CONTENTS

[01] TALKS ON POSITION OF REFUGEES IN YUGOSLAVIA

[02] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER-REGULATIONS GUARANTEE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

[03] SLOVENIA ADMITS TO ARMS SMUGGLING FOR CROATIA, BOSNIAN MUSLIMS

[04] EMIR KUSTURICA APPEARS WITH TV STORY ON FRENCH TELEVISION

[05] YUGOSLAVIA, IMF NEGOTIATE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

[06] MONTENEGRO TO BECOME OFFSHORE CENTRE

[07] TALKS BETWEEN YUGOSLAV, IMF DELEGATION END

[08] HAGUE TRIBUNAL PROSECUTOR DROPS CHARGES AGAINST BOSNIAN SERB

[09] OPPOSITION CANDIDATES IN MOSTAR INTIMIDATED

[10] DINI: WAY OPENS TO STABILISATION OF BOSNIA PEACE

[11] NO CONDITIONS FOR FAIR ELECTIONS IN FEDERATION, SAY MUSLIMS

[12] MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA OPENS IN FLORENCE, ITALY

[13] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER ADDRESSES FLORENCE CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA

[14] U.S. ENVOY KORNBLUM TO MAKE ANOTHER BALKAN TOUR

[15] MICHEL ROCARD'S INITIATIVE FOR BOSNIA

[16] IVANOV: ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA SHOULD BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 14

[17] U.N. HAS NOT REACTED TO NEW DETAILS ON CRIME IN SARAJEVO MARKET

[18] FEDERAL POLICE VERY UNLIKELY TO BE SET UP

[19] MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA CONTINUES

[01] TALKS ON POSITION OF REFUGEES IN YUGOSLAVIA

savovic said that the difficulties faced by yugoslavia in this sphere called for more active help from the international community, especially the european union, in finding solutions to problems of refugees in yugoslavia, the yugoslav ministry of information said.

torsiela stated that the eu member-states understood increasingly well the complexity and delicacy of humanitarian aspects and the position of refugees in yugoslavia.

about 600,000 refugees from the former yugoslavia have found shelter in f.r. yugoslavia.

savovic and torsiela also discussed future activites of the regional centre of the eu observer mission in yugoslavia.

[02] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER-REGULATIONS GUARANTEE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

tomic, who was addressing the ceremony in smederevo marking the 115th anniversary of the association of serbian journalists (uns) smederevo, added that the public was the best judge of the work of over 4,000 members of the association.

he said that the 'existence of opposition papers was a necessary and indespensable political reality' but that 'problems arise when it is seen that their editorial policy offers nothing as a solution to social problems.'

among the jouranlists awarded during the ceremony are two tanjug journalists - dusan radovanovic, who received a life achievement award and borislav lalic, the present washington correspondent, who received an annual prize for jouranlism.

[03] SLOVENIA ADMITS TO ARMS SMUGGLING FOR CROATIA, BOSNIAN MUSLIMS

the daily quoted data on slovenia's direct participation in stoking the war in former yugoslavia from documents of the slovenian civilian and military intelligence services.

delo said slovenian citizen nicolas oman had mediated between the sellers and buyers of arms and the slovenian defense and interior ministries. italian judicial organs recently released an international arrest warrant for oman for his involvement in international arms smuggling.

'the transcript on the installation of secret listening devices by the secret service confirms that the slovenian defense ministry had sold weapons to croatia through the mediation of oman and two slovenian government advisers,' the daily said.

the data on the activities and cooperation of oman and the slovenian defense and interior ministries show that deals were made with the knowledge of the leaderships of these institutions, delo concluded.

slovenia in june 1991 seceded from the former yugoslav federation and, in september of the same year, after war started raging in the region, the united nations imposed an embargo on arms sales in the entire territory of the former yugoslavia.

[04] EMIR KUSTURICA APPEARS WITH TV STORY ON FRENCH TELEVISION

the 20-minute story was taped near belgrade and broadcast on channel france 2 as part of the popular program special reporter.

a critic of the le figaro daily said in an article titled kafka in belgrade, that the story of a conflict between a resident and his neighbors and bothers with the bureaucracy could serve to illustrate the crisis in the former yugoslavia.

a very surprising story, the first of its kind by emir kusturica, said le figaro.

kusturica was awarded two golden palms by the cannes film festival for while father was away on business and underground and a golden lion at the festival in venice for his debut do you remember dolly bell.

[05] YUGOSLAVIA, IMF NEGOTIATE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

geneva, june 13 (tanjug) - yugoslavia and the international monetary fund (imf) opened wide-ranging talks on thursday to discuss a draft document on yugoslavia's duties and obligations in the imf, the world bank and other international financial bodies.

none of the participants in the closed-door talks, held at the federal republic of yugoslavia's mission to the united nations, has been willing to predict their outcome prior to friday's closing round.

the draft document is subject to approval by the yugoslav government and the relevant imf bodies.

unofficially, it is to be heard that if the draft were to be adopted on friday, that would objectively signal considerable progress in yugoslavia-imf negotiations.

yugoslavia's overdue subscription fees to the fund was also discussed on thursday, according to reports.

the yugoslav delegation, headed by oskar kovac, and the imf's chief for southeastern europe emanuel zervudakis and legal advisor tom hagen discussed ways and means of paying the dues.

the idea is to find an acceptable solution to this problem pending the acceptance by the imf board of executive directors of the draft regulating yugoslavia's membership of the fund.

that this next step is already being considered is evident from the fact that the thursday talks touched also on some concrete forms of cooperation after yugoslavia's status had been settled.

despite the lack of prognostications, it is noteworthy that discussions to date have clearly shown that both yugoslavia and the imf are willing to seek a mutually advantageous solution.

yugoslavia is a founding member of the imf, but a u.n. general assembly resolution of september 1992 denied it equal participation in the body's work, after the imposition of the u.n. anti-yugoslav sanctions had already severed cooperation earlier that same year.

the dayton peace accord of late 1995 and the resultant suspension of the sanctions has set things in motion in a different direction, and it is clear that the process of yugoslavia's reintegration in world economic and financial bodies has begun.

the process has not been completed, but if a way were to be found of establishing relations with the imf, that would certainly smooth its course.

[06] MONTENEGRO TO BECOME OFFSHORE CENTRE

montenegrin ministry of information said on friday that the draft law was the basis of montenegro's policy of economic opening towards the world.

these companies may deal with international trade, provide financial and non-financial services, management and consulting services, real estate transaction services and other activities led in international offshore centres.

the companies can be set up only by foreign physical persons and foreign legal persons based abroad and yugoslav citizens residing abroad for at least five years and having foreign capital.

along with the system of free zones, legislation on foreign investments and other bills, this new draft law will help montenegro join international business trends in a speedier and more efficient way.

[07] TALKS BETWEEN YUGOSLAV, IMF DELEGATION END

the participants also agreed that the talks had been held in a constructive atmosphere in which both sides expressed readiness to find solutions of mutual interest.

the talks were dedicated to legal and technical issues regarding the regulation of relations between yugoslavia and the imf, the world bank and related international financial organizations.

the yugoslav delegation, headed by oskar kovac, and imf representatives, head of the southeastern europe department emanuel zervudakis and legal adviser tom hagen, reviewed certain documents which both sides should prepare in order to regulate relations between yugoslavia and these financial organizations.

the yugoslav-imf talks are still in a sensitive phase, but it is certain that 'significant progress' made in the past two days gives a good basis for the resumption of the dialogue.

bearing in mind the sensitivity of the topic, nobody wants to do anything that would hamper the process of regulating relations, i.e. yugoslavia's membership in the imf.

other issues regarding the yugoslav-imf relations were also reviewed on thursday and friday.

the question of yugoslavia's overdue payments to the imf and ways of payment were also discussed and the intention is to find a solution by the time when the board of imf executive directors accepts the proposed way of regulating yugoslavia's membership.

[08] HAGUE TRIBUNAL PROSECUTOR DROPS CHARGES AGAINST BOSNIAN SERB

niemann dropped the charges on wednesday because of a lack of evidence. in july 1995, lajic was charged with alleged crimes committed in the kerater camp near prijedor in northwestern bosnia. he was arrested in nurnberg in march this year and taken to the hague in may.

the defense proved that lajic was not in the area of prijedor at the time the alleged crimes were committed. the tribunal asked for a series of photographs on account of which nine of 10 summoned witnesses confirmed lajic had not committed the alleged crimes.

one witness testified he 'probably' saw lajic there, vasic explained.

after these testimonies, niemann dropped the charges. the decision is to be confirmed by the hague tribunal court on monday.

[09] OPPOSITION CANDIDATES IN MOSTAR INTIMIDATED

delegate boro bjelobrk confirmeed the above at a session of the constituent assembly of the muslim-croat federation thursday.

the constituent assembly is discussing possibilities and conditions for elections scheduled to be held in bosnia-herzegovina in mid-september.

the mostar opposition bloc 'united democrats of bosnia-herzegovina' has said that if the threats and harassment continue, the elections in mostar will be totally irregular.

the opposition bloc has called on federation authorities and european institutions urgently to take the necessary security measures.

the opposition bloc's election rival will be a bloc of five parties, headed by the ruling muslim democratic action party (sda) and croatian democratic union (hdz).

[10] DINI: WAY OPENS TO STABILISATION OF BOSNIA PEACE

dini said the military aspects of the dayton accords were being successfully implemented but added that a lot remained to be done in the realisation of its civilian aspects, strengthening confidence measures and ensuring the full freedom of movement.

he emphasized that the forthcoming bosnia elections, due to be held in september, are the fundamental in the strengthening of peace and creation of joint institutions.

dini called on the international community and all sides in bosnia to deploy maximum efforts to secure conditions for the holding of elections as the most important test for stabilisation of peace in bosnia.

addressing the first plenary session of the conference will be international community's high representative carl bildt who will be followed by representatives of ifor and nato.

in the afternoon, heads of delegations of countries signatories of the agreement will address the conference - yugoslav foreign minister milan milutinovic, reprsentatives of the two entities in bposnia - republika srpska and the muslim-croat federation- and croatian foreign minister mate granic.

[11] NO CONDITIONS FOR FAIR ELECTIONS IN FEDERATION, SAY MUSLIMS

deputies of the muslim party of democratic action (sda) said that muslims in the croat republic of herceg-bosna, declared in july 1992 in the territory taken by bosnian croats, had no freedom of movement, (5#3 043'', political organisation or confession.

5#3 049&4-..3 !94 5#3 43574, 9! 43!7&33' -,d 3/03))3d 034'9,' 8' ,95 ?38,& 8.0)3.3,53d -5 -)) 8, 5#3 .7')8.-croat federation which is one of the conditions posed by muslims for holding elections, it was said at the session.

some 150,000 croats fled from areas under muslim control and 50,000 muslims from areas under croat control.

the constituent assembly session is still underway.

[12] MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA OPENS IN FLORENCE, ITALY

the conference is attended by foreign ministers from 45 countries and representatives of 14 major international and financial organisations concerned in the implementation of the peace accord for bosnia-herzegovina.

the international community's high representative for bosnia carl bildt said in his opening address that the success of the peace process in former yugoslavia would determine the future not only of the region, but beyond, the common future of all.

two of four stages in the implementation of the peace accord have been completed in the first six months, bildt said.

he explained that the first was the military implementation, and the second, the priority economic recovery, beginning of refugee repatriation and preparations for elections.

bildt said the world had lost its first battle in sarajevo in march, when the first peace-time refugees were created with the exodus of tens of thousands of serbs in fear of the muslim-croat federation's authorities who had taken over the city's serb parts.

the key to long-term peace lies in reconciliation, however hard it might be to accept the fact that yesterday's enemies should become tomorrow's partners, bildt said.

he criticised both entities in bosnia-herzegovina for lack of cooperation with the hague-based war crimes tribunal for former yugoslavia, and said that this must change, because the world could not keep spending money without achieving any visible results.

(bosnian serb) republika srpska premier gojko klickovic said at the conference that the republika srpska was firmly committed to implementing all provisions of the dayton peace accord.

klickovic said that the holding of elections in the repubilka srpska and the muslim-croat federation was indespensable for continuing the peace consolidation efforts.

the conference is being held behind closed doors.

the morning session is reported to have been addressed by delegates of states - signatories to the dayton accord: yugoslav foreign minister milan milutinovic, croatian foreign minister mate granic and muslim sarajevo government premier hasan muratovic.

[13] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER ADDRESSES FLORENCE CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA

milutinovic is heading the delegation of the federal republic of yugoslavia to the florence ministerial conference on bosnia-herzegovina.

he said that the elections would make it possible to organise legitimate and democratic bodies of power in bosnia's two entities -- the (bosnian serb) republika srpska and the muslim-croat federation -- as well as at the level of the union.

this will in the best possible way express the interests of all three bosnian constitutive peoples and create stable conditions for building a democratic society, for reconstruction, development and prosperity, milutinovic said at the afternoon session.

he stressed that the peace process was at a new stage, where it was necessary to intensify efforts for its acceleration, and that yugoslavia was striving for firm respect of the election rules, freedom of movement and the press, and equal opportunities for all.

in all its efforts, yugoslavia must consistently adhere to the principle of equal treatment for the republika srpska and the muslim-croat federation as a basic postulate of success in implementing the accord and achieving lasting stability, he added.

milutinovic said that the reconstruction of bosnia-herzegovina and other parts of former yugoslavia was a key prerequisite for the region's economic recovery and inclusion in the current european integration processes.

this is of importance also to the political and psychological component that must help stabilise the overall results of the peace process, he added.

milutinovic said that yugoslavia was cooperating constructively with u.n. special human rights rapporteur elisabeth rehn and the hague-based war crimes tribunal for former yugoslavia.

cooperation with the tribunal will be greatly facilitated when it opens offices in belgrade, for which full agreement has been reached, he said.

milutinovic said that talks on regional armament control that had just ended at vienna should help along confidence-building and lasting stability.

peace, stability, goodneighbourly relations, all-round cooperation and development in the region are yugoslavia's strategic options, he added.

he explained that yugoslavia was making great efforts for a full normalisation with the former yugoslav republics, efforts in which significant headway had been made.

the ministerial conference on bosnia-herzegovina resumes on friday, and should end with the adoption of presidential conclusions.

[14] U.S. ENVOY KORNBLUM TO MAKE ANOTHER BALKAN TOUR

state department spokesman nicholas burns told reporters thursday that kornblum would be visiting belgrade, zagreb and sarajevo.

kornblum, assistant u.s. secretary of state for europe and canada, will travel to the balkans from the ministerial conference on bosnia that is under way in florence, italy, discussing the civilian implementation of the dayton peace accords.

burns said that washington expected from the florence meeting to set a date for bosnia elections not later than sept. 14, as provided for by the dayton accords.

[15] MICHEL ROCARD'S INITIATIVE FOR BOSNIA

in an analysis published in the latest issue of the paris weekly l'express, rocard pointed to the need for holding general elections, creating conditions for a return of refugees and realizing the programme of economic reconstruction of bosnia-herzegovina.

untill all conditions are met, the pull-out of the international force may lead to a renewal of fighting, the french politician said.

rocard said that the u.s. intervention in bosnia came as a result of the european non-fulfilment of obligations. if the americans leave, which he said could be expected, the europeans should assume all responsibility for the continuation of the peace mission in bosnia.

rocard called the end of fighting a real success and said that almost all military aspects of the dayton accord had been implemented. he underscored, however, that it was not the case with other provisions of the dayton accords.

we are far from conditions neeeded for free and fair elections and the reconstruction of bosnia has not started. all these are conditions for turning the fragile truce into acceptable peace, rocard said.

[16] IVANOV: ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA SHOULD BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 14

in a statement to itar-tass in florence, where he is taking part in a ministerial meeting on bosnia, ivanov said that the elections should be held despite their unprepared nature because they are essential for the creation of a mechanism of local self-government in bosnia.

the russian diplomat said that the 'military phase of peacemaking efforts has been completed, and rather successfully, too, and with active participation of the russian military contingent.'

efforts should now be focused on the implementation of the civilian aspects, in which the organization of elections has an important part, ivanov said.

[17] U.N. HAS NOT REACTED TO NEW DETAILS ON CRIME IN SARAJEVO MARKET

vecernje novosti said there was no reaction to the disclosure by the former head of the u.n. mission in the former yugoslavia and current under-secretary for humanitarian issues on the existence of a secret report on the massacre.

western media and politicians had attributed the blame to the bosnian serbs without evidence.

at a regular u.n. news conference on wednesday, u.n. spokesman ahmad favzi was surprised when asked by the daily's correspondent in new york if he had heard of akashi's statement and been aware of a 'secret report,' and whether its contents were available.

favzi said he had only heard of akashi's interview, and promised to check on what akashi had said, adding the official stand of the u.n. had been that it was impossible to establish accurately the spot from where the shell had been fired.

in quest of this statement, novosti had discovered that david binder, a correspondent of new york times from washington and a correspondent in former yugoslavia from 1963 to 1967, had recently written an article titled the anatomy of a massacre in the magazine foreign affairs, revealing details that illuminate why there had been so many different interpretations of what had occurred on that saturday of february 5.

two officers of the u.n. protection force that hastened to the site after the explosion were not permitted by muslim police to enter the market, said binder, so unprofor was unable to be a witness.

he said unprofor's report quoted the officers to the effect that they had been permitted only to watch the evacuation of the casualties.

one u.n. officer had then expressed surprise at the speed with which the entire action had been carried out - only 25 minutes.

the officer said he did not observe any medical personnel attending the evacuation.

when everything was finished, the two officers were permitted to approach the crater until unprofor's investigators arrived at about two in the afternoon, binder wrote at the time.

[18] FEDERAL POLICE VERY UNLIKELY TO BE SET UP

leutar told croatian radio that the setting up of a joint police was very unlikely given that croat and muslim policemen were functioning entirely on their own.

he said that the muslim side was ignoring agreed deadlines and that it was eschewing the realization of all concrete conclusions.

he said he doubted that a joint muslim-croat police would start to function by september 1, as agreed two months ago at a top-level meeting in germany.

the federal partners (muslims) are obviously obstructing this system, leutar said.

leutar said that there was a growing number of incidents in the territory of the federation and that the security situation was deteriorating. he described the incidents as very dangerous.

after one-year fierce fighintg, bosnian muslims and croats forged a federation under u.s. pressure. the federation, however, remains a dead letter.

[19] MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA CONTINUES

florence, june 14 (tanjug) - the ministerial conference on bosnia, attended by foreign ministers from 45 countries and representatives of 14 international organisations and institutions, contineud on friday morning with the examination of aspects of the implementation of the dayton agreement.

separate discussions are being conducted focusing on the preparation and holding of elections in bosnia and economic reconstruction. some regional subjects are also being treated, such as arms control and the question of eastern slavonia, baranja and western srem.

the conference is due to end on friday afternoon when conclusions are to be adopted and a press conference held.

as expected, the two-day conference is dominated by the subject of the preparation and holding of bosnia elections, scheduled to be held in mid-september under dayton.

even before the end of the conference it can be said that participats agree elections should be held as planned. the majority of the speakers stressed that elections are a crucial test for peace and stabilisation in the entire territory of the former yugoslavia.

threfore the remaining three months before the elections should be used by the international community and all the parties in bosnia to deploy maximum efforts to fulfil conditions for their holding. the most important of the conditions being the freedom of movement, the return of refugees and the freedom of the press.

the only discrepancy with the general constructive atmosphere in florence was the opinion of the president of the international war crimes tribunal for the former yugoslavia italian judge antonio cassese.

cassese tried to use this international forum on thursday and to take over the role of a political arbiter in the settlement of some controversial bosnian issues.

before the beginning of the meeting, cassese distributed his personal statement in which he called for 'roubst actions against belgrade and pale', because of their alleged refusal to cooperate with the tribunal, including the exclusion of their athletes from the forthcoming olympic games in atlanta.

that cassese's move was miscalculated can be seen from the statement of eu president and italian foreign minister lamberto dini who said that such proposals were not in the competence of the conference in florence or of casesse.

he also said that sanctions were a double edged sword, on the one side they helped and on the other were harmful.

the international high representative for bosnia carl bildt agreed with dini and said that bosnia's reality cannot be discussed in that way.

Copyright © Tanjug, Yugoslavia, 1996

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