Yugoslav Daily Survey 96-02-22

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory

From: ddc@nyquist.bellcore.com (D.D. Chukurov)

Yugoslav Daily Survey

22 February 1996

CONTENTS

[A] FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

[01] YUGOSLAVIA IS INTERNATIONAL-LEGAL CONTINUITY OF FORMER FEDERATION

[02] YUGOSLAV-VATICAN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WERE NEVER SEVERED

[03] YUGOSLAV CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES FREEDOM OF PRESS, SAYS OFFICIAL

[B] BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

[04] BOSNIAN SERB PARLIAMENT SEEKS END TO SANCTIONS, RELEASE OF PRISONERS

[05] HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR BOSNIA MEETS WITH BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER

[06] REFUGEES RETURNING TO SIPOVO GATHER UNDER OPEN SKY

[C] BOSNIAN SERBS - HAGUE TRIBUNAL

[07] BOSNIAN SERBS TESTIFY BEFORE HAGUE TRIBUNAL PROSECUTORS IN ROMANIA

[08] BELGRADE LAWYER: ARRESTS, TRANSFERS OF SERB OFFICERS POLITICAL CASE

[09] BELGRADE LAWYER: SERB OFFICER'S ARREST PROCEDURE LEGALLY UNFOUNDED

[D] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[10] MUSLIMS ARE THE GREATEST THREAT TO IFOR

[A] FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

[01] YUGOSLAVIA IS INTERNATIONAL-LEGAL CONTINUITY OF FORMER FEDERATION

On the basis of the Yugoslav definition for state property, it has been proved in negotiations that the property is much larger and more valuable than what the other delegations had supposed, who mostly considered state property only that property used by the former federal organs, she said.

Initial estimates by the economic institute of Belgrade have shown that the newly evaluated property is worth two and half times more than the property obtained through the narrower concept of state property.

Gnjatovic said there were no changes in the stand that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the successor, having the state continuity to the former federation, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

There is no valid reason under international laws for any changes to occur in this stand, Gnjatovic said, and added that the former Yugoslav republics which have received international recognition as new states must take over responsibility for international relations of the territories which they have claimed.

Gnjatovic pointed out that the agreements between foreign creditors and the individual newly founded states could be considered temporary, valid only until agreement is reached on the division of the property and obligations of the former federation. She also said that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia would not have the exact sum of its part of the former federation's foreign debt until that agreement was reached.

No meetings have been set for the so-called new group for succession, Gnjatovic said, but it would be logical for the first meeting of this group to discuss the basic legal and economic principles on which accord was not reached within the Yugoslavia Conference.

[02] YUGOSLAV-VATICAN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WERE NEVER SEVERED

The Vatican Tuesday informed the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry that the Pope had agreed to the appointment of Dojcilo Maslovaric Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the Holy See. Meanwhile, the Holy See has received approval for appointing Monsignor Santos Abril y Castello new Apostolic Delegate to Belgrade.

Asked by reporters to comment on these relations, the official Vatican representative pointed out that the Vatican had informed Belgrade on Jan. 13, 1992, that it had recognized breakaway republics of the former Yugoslav federation but was maintaining its mission in Belgrade.

[03] YUGOSLAV CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES FREEDOM OF PRESS, SAYS OFFICIAL

Freedom of the press does not extend to fomenting ethnic, religious, racial and political hatred, conflicts and intolerance, violence and primitivism, and to violating privacy and dignity of man, said Brcin.

He said that about 2,000 papers were currently being issued in Serbia and that the state made no obstacles to the opening and operation of private radio and television stations.

Brcin said that the minorities too had their own media which operated without interference from the government. He said that the Albanian and Hungarian minorities had their own newspapers and television stations in their own languages, and added that the Bulgarian, Slovak, Ruthenian and other minorities had their own radio and television programmes too.

[B] BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

[04] BOSNIAN SERB PARLIAMENT SEEKS END TO SANCTIONS, RELEASE OF PRISONERS

The deputies rendered support to the Sarajevo Serbs and their decision to decide on their own whether they wanted to stay in parts of the city that will go to the Muslim-Croat Federation under the Dayton accord.

Support was also voiced for the efforts invested by the Republika Srpska leadership and Government for overcoming the difficult situation in Serb Sarajevo.

Parliament rejected accusations against the Republika Srpska leadership of encouraging Serbs to leave Sarajevo.

It also protested against the kidnapping of Bosnian Serb officers and demanded their release.

[05] HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR BOSNIA MEETS WITH BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER

Bildt said he was pleased about the restoration of dialogue and resumption of work of joint commissions on overcoming difficult situations. He also said that a lasting peace had to be ensured and that multinational peace forces were in Bosnia to implement the Dayton accord.

Kasagic said that joint commissions were resuming work.

[06] REFUGEES RETURNING TO SIPOVO GATHER UNDER OPEN SKY

Sipovo in the southwestern part of the Republika Srpska (Bosnian Serb Republic) was occupied by Croatian army troops in an offensive last October. The region of Sipovo, Mrkonjic Grad and parts of the municipalities of Jajce and Kljuc are now, under the Dayton peace accord for Bosnia, coming back under the Bosnian Serb rule.

In Sipovo, however, the abandoned streets give a ghostly impression. Local official Dragan Djukic said: 'There are already about 2,000 registered refugees who have returned. As many unregistered people are believed to have returned to their homes in surrounding villages, which were devestated even worse than the town. You can hardly find a house that can accomodate people.'

Sitting with other locals by a fire under the open sky, Branko Rakita said that schools, hospitals and kindergartens needed to be reopened before its earlier residents could decide to return. 'I have three children and I cannot bring them back while there are no conditions for that. I also need to work, and the uniform is all I've got right now,' he said.

The only humanitarian aid delivery to the town so far included no more than 100 stoves. There is no bread in the town because there are no bakeries. Food is scarce because the single shop in the town is almost empty.

Two local offices were opened to give out pension cheques, but what can cheques buy here. And where are the pensioners to take them, nobody knows.

[C] BOSNIAN SERBS - HAGUE TRIBUNAL

[07] BOSNIAN SERBS TESTIFY BEFORE HAGUE TRIBUNAL PROSECUTORS IN ROMANIA

The Bosnian Serbs, the majority of whom are older than 55 years, decided to testify in Timisoara for security reasons. They said: 'It is difficult to speak about the torture, much less endure it.'

The Romanian Radio did not say exactly how large the group of Serb witnesses was.

The Romanians have taken steps to enable the Hague Tribunal prosecutors to collect all the evidence from the Bosnian Serbs without any problems.

[08] BELGRADE LAWYER: ARRESTS, TRANSFERS OF SERB OFFICERS POLITICAL CASE

The prominent Belgrade lawyer on Wednesday spoke with his client for the third time and met court representatives for the third timeas well. Documents presented to Fila on Wednesday led him to conclude that there had been no true legal basis for the case and that it had not been handled well.

Fila was shown a document signed by Chief Prosecutor Richard Goldstone dated Feb. 7, asking the Sarajevo Muslim authorities to arrest Gen. Djukic, at a time when he had been imprisoned in Sarajevo for several days already.

A Hague Tribunal representative informed Fila that Gen. Djukic had not been arrested, but merely detained as a possible suspect and witness and that the detention would continue up to 40 days at the longest. If no evidence against him is found by March 17, Gen. Djukic will be returned to the Sarajevo Muslim authorities which have allegedly instigated legal criminal proceedings against him, the Court representative said.

Fila protested against such treatment of his client, and pointed out that it was not known in legal practice that a person could be held in investigative prison for more than 30 days. He was told, however, that the Hague Tribunal was guided by its own regulations.

Several other answers which he received at the Hague Tribunal on Wednesday, Fila considers absolutely unacceptable.

When fila asked of what Gen. Djukic might be accused, he was told that his client was expected to say what he knew of the crimes for which R.S. President Radovan Karadzic and his direct superior Gen. Ratko Mladic had been indicted.

Fila asked the representatives if the two R.S. officers had earlier been on any list of suspects of this court. He said he was told that they had not, as there had been no knowledge they would be arrested.

The Court representatives insisted that Fila persuade his defendant to agree to testify before the Court and make a statement.

Fila and Gen. Djukic have agreed, as entitled to under the Court regulations, that Gen. Djukic shall not make any statements until all the evidence against him is completed and placed at his disposal, which has not been done so far.

Gen. Djukic asked Fila to convey to the public that he feared for his health. He said he was beginning to feel the effects of psychological pressure, even though he was being treated correctly in prison and had medical care.

Gen. Djukic, 61, underwent surgery for cancer of the prostate a few months ago.

Col. Aleksa Krsmanovic still has not had contacts with his official defense layer Jan Sjoecrona.

[09] BELGRADE LAWYER: SERB OFFICER'S ARREST PROCEDURE LEGALLY UNFOUNDED

There is no legally valid proof that the suspect may be guilty of war crimes, Pantelic said.

Pantelic described the arrest of Col. Krsmanovic by Muslim army as kidnapping, pointing out that the acts of all protagonists in the case, including the arresting officers, IFOR and the Hague Tribunal, were illegally unfounded.

Pantelic will travel Thursday to the Hague where he expects to be presented with documents justifying Col. Krsmanovic's arrest. Pantelic was chosen by Col. Krsmanovic's family to represent him together with Dutch lawyer Jan Sjoecrona who was appointed by the Hague Tribunal.

[D] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[10] MUSLIMS ARE THE GREATEST THREAT TO IFOR

Antena claims that the Greek Intelligence Service's assessments that the Muslims are the greatest threat to IFOR coincide with the analyses of the U.S. Defense Ministry's Intelligence Service.

Both the Greek and the U.S. Intelligence Services have confirmed that groups of Bosnian Muslims had prepared to carry out terrorist attacks. In support of this IFOR last week uncovered near the town of Fojnica, some 50 km away from Sarajevo, a camp for training terrorists which contained three Iranian and eight Bosnian Muslim instructors.