Tanjug Daily News Review, 96-06-15

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

Jun 15, 1996
NEWS AGENCY - TANJUG
DAILY NEWS REVIEW

CONTENTS

[01] INTERNATIONAL POLICE: SARAJEVO SERBS PRESSURED TO LEAVE CITY

[02] UKRAINE URGES DEFINITIVE LIFTING OF ANTI-YUGOSLAV SANCTIONS

[03] CPJ AT TRIAL OF REPORTERS IN ZAGREB

[04] PARDEW: U.S. MILITARY PROGRAM FOR BOSNIA FACES OBSTACLES

[05] BOSNIA ELECTIONS -- CRUCIAL STEP ON ROAD TO PEACE

[06] YUGOSLAV VICE-PREMIER SAYS MONETARY POLICY MUST REMAIN RESTRICTIVE

[07] AGREEMENT ON ARMS CONTROL IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA SIGNED IN FLORENCE

[08] FRANCE PROPOSES TWO-YEAR PLAN FOR STABILIZING SITUATION IN BOSNIA

[09] MONTENEGRIN PREMIER URGES SPEEDY RESOLUTION OF PREVLAKA ISSUE

[10] U.N. WARNS ABOUT CONTINUING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN BOSNIA

[11] HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN YUGOSLAVIA DETERIORATES

[12] FLORENCE CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA CLOSES

[13] PRESSURE ON HELSINKI COMMITTEE SUSPENDS DIALOGUE ON SERBS IN CROATIA

[14] MILUTINOVIC: IMPORTANT STEP IN IMPLEMENTATION OF DAYTON ACCORDS

[15] MILUTINOVIC ON AGREEMENT OF REGIONAL ARMS CONTROL

[16] FOUR BOSNIAN SERBS DETAINED IN BOSNIAN CROAT PRISON NEAR MOSTAR

[17] SWISS DAILIES SET OUT CHIEF RESULTS OF FLORENCE CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA

[18] WASHINGTON HAILS AGREEMENT ON ARMS CONTROL IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

[19] BOSNIAN SERB PRIME MINISTER SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF CONFERENCE

[20] ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA A PRIORITY TASK FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

[21] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KORNBLUM

[22] BOSNIAN SERB VICE PRESIDENT HAILS SIGNING OF ARMS CONTROL ACCORD

[23] KINKEL: ARMS CONTROL ACCORD WILL PREVENT STANDSTILL IN PEACE PROCESS

[24] KORNBLUM SAYS HE BRIEFED PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC ON FLORENCE MEETING

[25] AGREEMENT ON ARMS CONTROL SIGNED AS RESULT OF PRESSURE IN FLORENCE

[26] COTTI STILL OPPOSES U.S. PRESSURE

[27] DE CHARETTE SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF MEETING IN FLORENCE

[28] PLAVSIC SAYS FLORENCE MEETING ACCEPTS REALITY ON GROUND

[01] INTERNATIONAL POLICE: SARAJEVO SERBS PRESSURED TO LEAVE CITY

pressure mounted in april and is still growing, and the serbs who remained in the city after the muslims took over control are now threatening to leave, news agencies in sarajevo quoted ivanko as saying.

spokesman of the united nations high commissioner for refugees (unhcr) in bosnia kris janowski said that the agency had received reports about acts of violence against serbs in the sarajevo suburbs of ilidza, ilijas and vogosca, and about threats that their homes will be blown up at night.

the serb-populated suburbs were handed over to the muslim-croat federation at the beginning of the year.

most local serb residents decided to leave the city at the time but some of them remained because nato, international police and local police promised them protection.

[02] UKRAINE URGES DEFINITIVE LIFTING OF ANTI-YUGOSLAV SANCTIONS

tabacnik said that, after the sanctions were fully lifted, yugoslavia should be reintegrated into all important international organizations because it would be important for stability in the region.

as ukraine highly estimates yugoslavia's constructive policy and active participation in the implementation of the dayton accords, it will practically and consistently act in the direction of its speediest possible integration into the international community, tabachnik said.

the u.n. security council in november 1995 suspended the comprehensive and mandatory sanctions that it had imposed on the yugoslav republics of serbia and montenegro three and a half years before over their alleged involvement in the war in neighbouring bosnia-herzegovina.

ambassador dapcevic and tabachnik positively assessed the existing yugoslav-ukrainian political and economic relations.

[03] CPJ AT TRIAL OF REPORTERS IN ZAGREB

reporters of the split satirical weekly feral tribune, editor in chief viktor ivancic and his associate editor marinko culic, have been charged with insulting croatian president franjo tudjman, the agence france presse news agency said, quoting a statement by the cpj.

ivancic and culic are on trial for having said it was a 'morbid idea' that the croatian president was planning to turn the memorial complex of the jasenovac concentration camp into a 'common cemetary' of the victims and their ustashi killers, afp said.

during world war ii, ustashi (croatian fascists) exterminated about 600,000 serbs, 30,000 romanies, 20, 000 jews, and 50,000 antifascists of other nations in the jasenovac concentration camp. it was the biggest such complex in the balkans and the third-largest in europe.

the split reporters are being tried on the grounds of a amended law on crimes of the press, whose stricter version was recently adopted by croatian parliament.

u.s. lawyer specialized in journalists' rights and member of the cpj administrative committee james goodale will submit to the zagreb court a file which contains western court rulings on crimes of the press, the cpj statement said.

laws on crimes of the press are especially to be condemned in a country which claims to be democratic, such as croatia, the cpj said.

[04] PARDEW: U.S. MILITARY PROGRAM FOR BOSNIA FACES OBSTACLES

james pardew told a press conference that he was personally frustrated with the constant political wranglings over the defense law that should unite the armed forces of bosnia's federal partners, the associated press news agency said.

'the defense law is a basic test of whether the leaders want a multi-cultural federation and a serious defense relationship with the united states,' said pardew.

muslim and croat leaders in bosnia have so far failed to agree on a joint defense law, delaying its passage several times.

pardew said the u.s. had collected 140 million dollars for financing the 'train and equip' program of the muslim-croat federation, one of bosnia's two entities, the other being republika srpska.

[05] BOSNIA ELECTIONS -- CRUCIAL STEP ON ROAD TO PEACE

british foreign secretary malcolm rifkind told the times after a conference on bosnia in florence, italy, late on friday, that the elections, called for by the dayton peace accords, were the best way to remove shadows over the bosnian serb republika srpska leadership and to set up legitimate authorities.

the view that elections are a crucial step on the road to peace in bosnia-herzegovina has prompted the international community to urge that they be held by september 14 although all necessary conditions have not been created yet, the commentators said.

[06] YUGOSLAV VICE-PREMIER SAYS MONETARY POLICY MUST REMAIN RESTRICTIVE

in talks with the most successful managers in serbia's northern province of vojvodina, zebic said foreign trade was 17 percent higher in the january-may period than in the corresponding period last year.

zebic said however exports amounted to only 597 million dollars and were 5.2 percent down on the same period last year, while imports amounted to 1,246 billion dollars and were up by 31.5 percent.

commenting on yugoslavia's talks with international financial institutions, zebic said that, as regards yugoslavia's position in these organisations, the yugoslav government urged the political and legal continuity.

the yugoslav government has informed foreign creditors that it has opted for an expansive development policy that will make it possible for the yugoslav economy to pay its liabilities timely and to consolidate its foreign debt, he said.

to achieve this goal, a larger inflow of foreign capital is needed in the first phase, he said.

the yugoslav government expects world financial organisations and foreign creditors to take into account the causes of the former yugoslavia's disintegration as well as adverse effects of the u.n. sanctions against belgrade and additional expenses incurred by aiding refugees and displaced persons, and to secure more favourable conditions for the reorganisation of its foreign debt, he said.

the expectation is based on the practice that international financial organisations and foreign creditors have applied in the case of other states that have been in a far more favourable position than yugoslavia, he said.

in order to normalise relations with the international monetary fund, the government is ready to pay immediate liabilities as soon as its status in the imf has been regulated as well as to open talks with the world bank on modalities of paying overdue liabilities.

zebic said the yugoslav government and the national bank of yugoslavia would insist on extending dates by which quotas should be rounded off and instalments paid to the imf and the world bank, if conditions were not created before for normalisation of yugoslavia's relations with with these two institutions.

[07] AGREEMENT ON ARMS CONTROL IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA SIGNED IN FLORENCE

the agreement was signed by representatives of the federal republic of yugoslavia, croatia, the bosnian muslim government in sarajevo, republika srpska and the muslim-croat federation in bosnia.

officials of the member-states of the international contact-group, the organization for security and cooperation in europe, the united nations and italy as the host of the conference also put their signatures to the document.

thanking the signatories, italian foreign minister lamberto dini said that the document would be very significant for further stabilization of the situation in the region.

[08] FRANCE PROPOSES TWO-YEAR PLAN FOR STABILIZING SITUATION IN BOSNIA

the plan aims to create a democratic state, decentralized but united, which would be built in keeping with european standards.

participating in a debate on bosnian elections, france expressed readiness to host a ministerial conference similar to the current one in florence after the elections in bosnia are over. the conference, would be also be attended by the presidency from sarajevo, would deal with an action programme in the period of stabilization.

speaking on behalf of the organization for security and cooperation in europe (osce), which has been entrusted with the task of organizing the elections in bosnia, president flavio cotti said that political conditions in the former yugoslavia had undoubtedly improved but that tensions on the local level still existed.

cotti, who is also swiss foreign minister, said that so far as organizational problems were concerned the elections could be held as planned under the dayton peace accords, i.e. by mid-september.

the osce will discuss the elections on june 20, said cotti, adding that he would soon visit sarajevo and that the decision on the exact date of the elections would be announced by the end of the month.

french foreign minister herve de charette told reporters that a postponement of the elections would be a grave mistake, while high representative of the international community in bosnia carl bildt said that the elections could and should be held by september 14.

bosnian serb prime minister gojko klickovic told reporters that republika srpska was prepared to hand over radovan karadzic only if evidence was produced of his responsibility for war crimes, but that political condemnation would not be accepted.

klickovic described the president of the international tribunal for war crimes in the former yugoslavia antonio cassese as an 'intriguer' and the tribunal as a political institution.

greek foreign minister theodoros pangalos said that it was wrong to judge the moral and political responsibility of one side alone.

when the question of responsibility is raised, it should concern all sides involved, he said.

he also said that a person should not be demonized before there were proofs against him.

[09] MONTENEGRIN PREMIER URGES SPEEDY RESOLUTION OF PREVLAKA ISSUE

speaking for the croatian weekly nacional, djukanovic said yugoslavia had offered a large number of arguments proving that prevlaka belonged to it, but said croatia had refused to reach verbal agreement on the issue in the dayton talks because of mounting political tensions in its territory.

the prevlaka promontory, situated at the mouth of the boka kotorska gulf, was within croatia's administrative borders in the former yugoslavia. after the former yugoslavia's disintegration, u.n. monitors were deployed to it.

commenting on montenegro's position in the past six years, djukanovic said montenegro had opposed the disintegration of the former yugoslavia and had tried to protect it.

'later, when we had to decide whether we were going to live in a sovereign state of montenegro or remain in yugoslavia, the citizens voted in a referendum for the latter,' he said.

montenegro has not formed a joint state with serbia out of necessity but because it has wanted to do so, he said.

'montenegro is on the road to democratisation... it is a civil state in which montenegrins, serbs, croats, moslems and albanians live,' he said.

djukanovic said montenegro wanted intensive communication with the world as well as to open completely in the economic and the political sphere. he said the best proof of montenegro's economic opening was the project titled montenegro -- a free economic zone which he said was being worked on.

he said as regards the political sphere, he wanted montenegro to join integration processes in europe as soon as possible.

[10] U.N. WARNS ABOUT CONTINUING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN BOSNIA

speaking at a press conference, she mentioned the intimidation and harassment of the remaining serbs in the formerly serb parts of sarajevo, problems relating to refugees' attempts to return to doboj, stolac and teslic, the bombing of serb homes in the area of sanski most and pressure on opposition parties in bosnia-herzegovina.

under the peace agreement, sarajevo was handed over to bosnian muslims, who also control sanski most, while stolac is controlled by the croat side of the muslim-croat federation, one of the two entities in bosnia. doboj and teslic are part of the territory of republika srpska, the other bosnian entity.

manuel said that there was a growing rift between bosnian muslims and croats, so that the rights of both sides were endangered in areas where each of them constituted a minority.

she said fear of being arrested and accused of war crimes in the territory of the other entity was hindering free movement and that such problems led to the conclusion that ethnic division in those areas was more important than human rights and the return of refugees.

spokesman of the united nations high commissioner for refugees (unhcr) marwan elkhoury told reporters that there were problems in the movement and the return of refugees because of a lack of cooperation with all authorities in bosnia, and because of a small number of facilities available to the returnees.

elkhoury said that the unhcr would appeal on the international community to create conditions for the return of 185,000 refugees, which will cost 183 million dollars, including the expenses for the reconstruction of facilities and infrastruction.

referring to prevlaka, a stratigic promontory in southern adriatic on the border between croatia and the federal republic of yugoslavia, manuel said that the serbs had in the past few months withdrawn heavy arms from the area while the croats had cleared the mines, so that there were now no reasons for concern.

the u.n. mission at prevlaka has prepared a document providing for a replacement of military observers by controllers or border guards, she said.

deputy chief of the united nations transitional administration in eastern slavonia (untaes) and its spokesman yuri chizhik said that the process of demobilization of the serb regions of eastern slavonia, baranja and western srem was proceeding very well and that 95 percent of the weapons had already been moved out of the region or destroyed.

[11] HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN YUGOSLAVIA DETERIORATES

representatives of the yugoslav red cross, the international federation of the red cross and red crescent societies (ifrc) and the international committee of the red cross (icrc) were speaking at a press conference on friday.

yugoslav red cross secretary-general rade dubajic said that the red cross was assisting more than 500,000 users and that the international humanitarian aid was based on an assessesment that there were between 300,000 and 400,0000 users.

international humanitarian organizations sent to yugoslavia a monthly 5,400 tonnes of aid in 1994, a monthly 3,789 tonnes in 1995 and the total of 4,761 tonnes in the first four months of 1996, dubajic said.

dubajic said that like in the previous years, the red cross had correctly done its job of assisting hundreds of thousands of refugees and needy in the past six months, primarily due to its good cooperation with the ifrc and icrc.

outgoing head of the ifrc delegation to yugoslavia jean ayoub said that the ifrc had invested about 100,000 million swiss francs through different programmes in yugoslavia in the past four years.

ayoub said that the ifrc had requested 35 million german marks and secured half of the amount for its 1996 programmes of assistance to 410,000 refugees and 30,000 needy.

if the registration of refugees in yugoslavia shows that their number is larger, the ifrc will call for an increase of the funds, he said.

head of the icrc delegation francois bellon said that the icrc mandate was linked with war-affected regions, which is why its operations had been directed to bosnia-herzegovina and croatia.

bellon believes that the international community should secure that about 100,000 serbs in east slavonia, baranja and west srem are not forced to leave. the responsibility for this lies primarily on croatian and local authorities, he said.

[12] FLORENCE CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA CLOSES

at the two-day meeting, an agreement on regional arms control was signed, on which talks had been held in vienna for the past six months.

on behalf of the federal republic of yugoslavia, the agreement was signed by foreign minister milan milutinovic. the document was signed also by foreign ministers aleksa buha of the (bosnian serb) republika srpska, mate granic of croatia, and representatives of the muslim-croat federation in bosnia and the muslim government of sarajevo.

the signing of this document had at one point seemed uncertain, as buha had expressed suspicions that there was a second document. italian foreign minister lamberto dini, however, had assured him this was not the case, and the r.s. foreign minister signed the document.

dini said the document was a significant step toward the full stabilization of the situation in the entire region.

the adopted document, the so-called conclusions of the chairman, speaks about the results so far in the implementation of the dayton accords, six months following their signing, and the steps to take in consolidating the peace process.

this is the first conference with a complete delegation of bosnia-herzegovina, which is a step forward from the london conference, the closing document underscores.

the disarmament agreement presents a major contribution to arms control and stepping up mutual confidence, which is a significant contribution to stability in the entire region, the document says.

the agreement by all sides that elections in bosnia-herzegovina should be held as planned under the dayton accords is assessed as a particular success. the first test of this agreement will be the holding of election in the southern bosnian town of mostar, which is under european union administration, later this month.

the document says separatist aspirations are still present, affecting freedom of movement.

regarding radovan karadzic, the document makes it clear to the republika srpska leadership that his further presence in public office is unacceptable. the document says that karadzic must remove himself from the political stage, under the dayton accords decisions.

the sides concur that elections are a significant foundation stone for building democratic relations in bosnia-herzegovina, the document says.

the document also emphasizes the importance of the fact that elections will be held according to the timetable set in dayton.

full support is given to the organization for security and cooperation in europe (osce) and the implementation force (ifor), which should secure conditions for the elections to be held.

the document especially sets out that the holding of free elections will result in the full lifting of sanctions against the federal republic of yugoslavia.

the document insists on the return of refugees and welcomes the fact that the two entities of bosnia-herzegovina -- republika srpska and the muslim-croat federation, had appointed arbiters for the town of brcko in the region of posavina which is a bottleneck through which passes the road linking eastern and western parts of republika srpska.

[13] PRESSURE ON HELSINKI COMMITTEE SUSPENDS DIALOGUE ON SERBS IN CROATIA

the committee said that it had been under constant pressure since the very moment it had announced that a panel discussion titled serbs in croatia -- yesterday, today, tomorrow would be held in zagreb on june 20 and 21.

'at a time when the front page of the organ of the croatian writers' association calls for setting up a firing squad for certain participants in the panel discussion and members of the helsinki committee as the organizer, we believe we cannot provide the necessary safety to our members, let alone guests from croatia and abroad,' the committee said in a statement.

the committee said that the first attacks in the pro-government zagreb daily vjesnik proved of a coordinated action, aimed against the holding of the discussion, which would have dealt, as they said, with 'croatia's crucial question of creating a multiethnic and multicultural society.'

the committee said that a factor of importance in creating a democratic and legal state was to enable the return of all refugees and displaced persons, croats, 'as well as croatian citizens of serb nationality, who have fled to other states before the horrors of war, to be, by the croatian government's policy, de facto and in violation of the constitution, stripped of their citizenship and deprived of their entire property.'

'we consider that our efforts are the best reply to the apologists of ethnic cleansing and those who hate the human rights policy. fear of dialogue is transformed into hatred, tending to spread among as many croatians as possible,' the statement said.

the committee said the croatian public stage was 'still not ripe for sincere dialogue with its fellow serb citizens' and that it was 'infected with hatred' which was daily being 'poured into the heads of our citizens' through the public media.

'an atmosphere of pogrom over the past several weeks depicted, at least partially, the position of serbs in croatia yesterday and today,' the committee said, adding that it neverthless hoped that the dialogue they proposed would show that, 'there is still hope for serbs and democracy in croatia.'

the committee said it would try to organize the panel discussion on this topic again in the fall.

[14] MILUTINOVIC: IMPORTANT STEP IN IMPLEMENTATION OF DAYTON ACCORDS

it is of vital importance that agreement was reached at the conference on the holding of elections in bosnia-herzegovina and that it was clearly shown what the remaining steps were for the elections to be succesfull, milutinovic said.

it is very important that the date for the elections was confirmed. that is why it is of the utmost importance that full freedom of the press, speech, rallying, and movement of citizens in the entire territory of bosnia-herzegovina be secured, and that it is made possible for all refugees to vote as planned under the dayton accords, milutinovic said.

milutinovic said the importance of the conference was also that it had clearly marked the obligations of all the involved sides, which they have accepted and are obliged to fulfil.

the florence conference confirmed the principle of equality of all three peoples and the two entities in bosnia-herzegovina -- republika srpska (the serb entity) and the muslim-croat federation.

talks on the reconstruction of bosnia-herzegovina and financial assistance from the international community continued at the conference.

milutinovic said the florence conference was important for the federal republic of yugoslavia because its results were in accord with the principled policy of yugoslavia, which is aimed at peace and stability not only in bosnia-herzegovina, but in the entire region as well.

we believe that this meeting has completed yet another step in the international affirmation of the federal republic of yugoslavia, toward its full reintegration in the international community, milutinovic said.

the minister also indicated the importance of the bilateral contacts which the yugoslav delegation had made with representatives of leading countries, neighboring countries, and also croatia, macedonia and bosnia-herzegovina.

these contacts will contribute toward the successful continuation of the process of normalization of relations between yugoslavia and the former yugoslav republics, milutinovic pointed out.

[15] MILUTINOVIC ON AGREEMENT OF REGIONAL ARMS CONTROL

'i am satisfied that, following the intense talks in vienna held under the chairmanship of mr. eide of norway, whose efforts we highly appreciate, agreement was reached on issues which are of particular importance for peace and stability in our region,' milutinovic said after the close of the two-day ministerial conference on bosnia-herzegovina.

the agreement regulates the manner of arms limitations for certain categories so that a balanced and stable ratio can be achieved, based on the lowest possible level of armament, milutinovic pointed out.

peace in the balkans means peace in europe, milutinovic said. the federal republic of yugoslavia had since the very beginning invested great efforts and cooperated in the vienna talks, he said. the talks in vienna began on jan. 5 this year.

yugoslavia is interested in the full implementation of all aspects of the dayton accords which it considers the guarantee of lasting peace and stability in the territory of the former yugoslavia, milutinovic said.

expressing hope that the other parts of the peace accords would be resolved in the same way -- in the spirit of cooperation, equal treatment, and respect for the interests of all sides -- milutinovic said he was thinking of the process of reconstruction which should restore and give impetus to regional, economic, and other forms of coperation.

[16] FOUR BOSNIAN SERBS DETAINED IN BOSNIAN CROAT PRISON NEAR MOSTAR

icrc chief of mission to the (bosnian serb) republika srpska pierre kraehenbiehl said that icrc staff had visited the four detainees.

bosnian serbs djordje vuleta, nedeljko jandric, krstan cegar and mirko cvokic were arrested by bosnian croat police in mliniste, some 30 km from glamoc toward mrkonjic grad in the southwest, on june 1.

the bosnian croat side has been denying so far that it detained the four bosnian serbs who were on their way to negotiate demarcation and use of a forest area at mliniste, which the dayton peace accords placed under the control of the bosnian serbs.

glamoc was part of the republika srpska until september 1995, when the town was taken by croat forces. the dayton accords placed it in the hands of the second entity in bosnia-herzegovina -- the muslim-croat federation.

the regional headquarters of the united nations international police training force (iptf) in banjaluka has said that bosnian croat police confirmed to their representatives on june 13 that the four serbs had been trasported from a livno prison to a prison in mostar.

the iptf headquarters in livno, the statement said, has firm evidence that the four men had been detained in livno from june 1-11 this year, in spite of earlier denials by croat police representatives in that town.

the iptf claims this evidence was collected on june 12 in livno during a search of the local police station, including the premises where the prisoners had been kept.

the statement said that during an attempted search of the premises on june 10, croat police had denied access to the iptf representatives.

the iptf statement said the four detained serbs were now within the jurisdiction of a croat officer in charge of exchange in mostar.

[17] SWISS DAILIES SET OUT CHIEF RESULTS OF FLORENCE CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA

the swiss press said that the chairman of the organization for security and cooperation in europe, swiss foreign minister flavio cotti, should officially announce the exact date for the holding of elections in bosnia.

this would most probably be sept. 14, the final date for the elections envisaged for under the dayton peace accords.

the press said that once the elections in bosnia were held, 'everything will turn out for the better,' and that their postponing would have dealt a heavy blow to the dayton accords and jeopardized the entire peace process.

[18] WASHINGTON HAILS AGREEMENT ON ARMS CONTROL IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

'this is an important achievement in implementing the dayton agreement on regional stabilization,' burns told a press conference.

he said the agreement, signed on friday at a conference of ministers in florence, evinced that the dayton peace accords were on the right track and that bosnia was further away from war.

[19] BOSNIAN SERB PRIME MINISTER SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF CONFERENCE

klickovic gave credited the chairman of the conference, italian foreign minister lamberto dini for this.

klickovic said dini had had understanding for the serbs' demand not to discuss any topics outside those provided for under the dayton peace accords, which divide bosnia into two equal entities.

klickovic said dini did not allow any pressures to be put on the serb delegation.

bosnian serb foreign minister aleksa buha said the conference had calmed the hysteria over the extradition of bosnian serb president radovan karadzic and army general ratko mladic.

buha said the international community was seeking the right criterion, at least as regards the hague tribunal.

he said sept. 14 had been set as the day for holding elections in republika srpska and the muslim-croat federation, which the organization for security and cooperation in europe had to confirm officially.

[20] ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA A PRIORITY TASK FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

though the conference of ministers in florence on friday agreed that the final decision for the holding of elections in bosnia be made by the organization for security and cooperation in europe, the european commission said that elections must be held as planned, otherwise there would be no real peace in the former yugoslavia.

a nato council meeting on thursday reached the same conclusion. agreeing with them on friay were defense ministers from 27 countries of nato's partnership for peace program, of which half have contributed troops to the peace implementation force (ifor) in bosnia.

a decision by nato's command on the full engagement of ifor in the organizing and holding of elections was supported by the ministers of the alliance and the chiefs of general staff of the armies engaged in bosnia.

in support of this was a visit in sarajevo on saturday by nato secretary-general javier solana and nato's supreme commander in europe u.s. gen. george joulwan, and the supreme commander of ifor.

they will discuss the engagement of all forces in planning the elections with military commanders in the field.

[21] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KORNBLUM

the talks dealt especially with preparations for the upcoming elections in bosnia and herzegovina, and especially the successful solution of problems relating to freedom of movement and the creation of conditions for free access to the media, president milosevic's office said.

information and views were exchanged about the overall civilian and political aspects of the implementation of the peace plan.

topical issues concerning bilateral relations between the federal republic of yugoslalvia (fry) and the united states were also raised at the meeting. it was concluded that progress has been made in that respect and that the normalization of relations between the two countries was in the interest of strengthening peace and stability in the region.

[22] BOSNIAN SERB VICE PRESIDENT HAILS SIGNING OF ARMS CONTROL ACCORD

koljevic said bosnian serb foreign minister aleksa buha had 'played a role of unquestionable importance for the degree of statehood we should obtain under the dayton accord.'

'we have to defend the degree of statehood regardless of the joint organs that would be set up after the elections, and it is very important not to allow before the elections the creation of what has not been provided for under the dayton accord,' said koljevic.

[23] KINKEL: ARMS CONTROL ACCORD WILL PREVENT STANDSTILL IN PEACE PROCESS

speaking of the results of the ministerial conference that closed in florence on friday, kinkel said he was convinced the dayton accord had no alternative and that peace would become permanent if all parties fully complied with the terms of the accord.

kinkel said the signing of the agreement had prevented new armings between the parties in bosnia and continued an earlier begun process of building measures of confidence in the former yugoslavia.

[24] KORNBLUM SAYS HE BRIEFED PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC ON FLORENCE MEETING

kornblum told reporters he and milosevic discussed in detail important issues, especially those concerning preparations for elections in bosnia, and that they expected president milosevic to help the full implementation of the dayton peace agreement.

he added that the exchange of views with milosevic was 'very good' and that an understanding was demonstrated at the talks about things that needed to be done for the further implementation of the agreement.

kornblum added that the talks were useful, within ongoing efforts, and that they demonstarted the resolution of the united states to stay involved in bosnia and in the region with a view to achieving enduring peace.

[25] AGREEMENT ON ARMS CONTROL SIGNED AS RESULT OF PRESSURE IN FLORENCE

there was no such pressure in oslo, where the agreement should have been signed, norwegian general viglejk eide told aftenposten. the nowegian general conducted the talks in the name of the organization for european security and cooperation (oebs) in vienna since the beginning of this year.

after almost six months of talks in vienna, the agreement should have been signed on june 11 in oslo, but the muslim side refused to sign it.

eide pointed out that 'greater political weight' was present in florence, after several foreign ministers made it clear that all the parties concerned had to sign the agreement.

[26] COTTI STILL OPPOSES U.S. PRESSURE

speaking on return from florence, where he participated in a two-day meeting on the implementation of the dayton agreement, cotti, who is also swiss foreign minister, said in bern on saturday that conditions for bosnia elections had not yet been created.

cotti insists on the observation of the adopted procedure, which means that head of the osce for bosnia robert frowick should submit a report on the situation on the ground and conditions for the elections by june 15.

cotti said that he would be able to say if conditions for the elections had been created only after he had analyzed the report.

swiss political and diplomatic circles are saying more openly that cotti is under strong pressure of the white house, which is doing its best to have bosnia elections held before november 5, when presidential elections should be held in the united states.

[27] DE CHARETTE SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF MEETING IN FLORENCE

in a statement to french television, de charette warned about the hatred that is still strong between the former warring parties in bosnia, and pointed out that france initiated in florence a new action of the internaitonal community for creating a concrete short-term and medium-term plan.

the essence of the plan is to determine a two-year time limit for the return of refugees and the economic recovery of bosnia and hgerzegovina, de charette said.

he said he offered in florence that france be the host in october, after the elections in bosnia and herzegovina, of a special international meeting to be attended by the newly-elected representatives of state institutions in bosnia and herzegovina, and of the two entities - the muslim-croat federation and republika srpska.

france wants to see the affirmation of 'new teams of peace' instead of the 'warlords' in bosnia and herzegovina, de charette said pointing out that bosnian serb leader radovan karadzic should leave the political scene.

he said that for france and the european union the important thing was that that karadzic be removed from power in republika srpska, and not arrested and stand trial.

[28] PLAVSIC SAYS FLORENCE MEETING ACCEPTS REALITY ON GROUND

speaking to serb radio, plavsic said that the international community had realized that any dictate could be endured up to a certain point, after which the outcome of the implementation of the dayton agreement would be completely uncertain if pressures continued.

she said that it became clear after florence that the dayton agreement had to succeed also because of the u.s. elections which the 'ruling administration wishes to win on account of political points from former bosnia-herzegovina.'

more than a month ago, radovan karadzic decided to transfer part of his powers as the republika srpska president to plavsic.

Copyright © Tanjug, Yugoslavia, 1996

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