Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-09-17

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED MINISTER GRANIC

[02] DJUNIC RECEIVED JAPANESE OFFICIAL

[03] SERBIAN LANGUAGE AND ALPHABET SHOULD ENTER OFFICIAL USE

[04] SERB NATIONAL COUNCIL: SERBS WILL NOT BE PLACED IN GHETTOS

[05] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA OFFICIAL SAYS 230,000 PEOPLE UNABLE TO VOTE

[06] VOTING AT LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA WELL ORGANIZED IN FRY

[07] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL ADDRESSED THE IPU PLENARY SESSION

[08] FAVOURABLE RUSSIAN LOAN FOR YUGOSLAVIA

[09] MOMIR BULATOVIC - DPS CANDIDATE

[10] CANCAR: MORE THAN 90 PERCENT TURNOUT OF VOTERS

[11] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES OSCE DELEGATION

[12] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC: YUGOSLAVIA'S ROAD TO EUROPE

[13] MILUTINOVIC AND GRANIC MEET FOR TALKS

[14] NEW WAVE OF TERRORISM IN KOSMET

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED MINISTER GRANIC

Tanjug, 1997-09-15

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Monday Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic and his host, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic.

The talks focused on matters of interest for the further strengthening of bilateral relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia.

Both sides expressed interest in the creation of conditions which should secure a renewal and stable development of mutual ties and cooperation, especially having in mind the interests of citizens and the economies of the two countries.

The importance of the further due and integral realization of the Erdut agreement was emphasized.

It was jointly assessed that regular holding of political dialogue between Yugoslavia and Croatia should continue, as the best way to overcome the remaining outstanding issues in international relations and the construction of a climate of mutual confidence and understanding, which should contribute to cementing peace and stability in the region.

[02] DJUNIC RECEIVED JAPANESE OFFICIAL

Tanjug, 1997-09-15

Deputy Yugoslav Premier Danko Djunic received Japanese Parliament's Foreign Policy Committee President Ichiro Aisawa in Belgrade on Saturday.

This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries since relations were normalized. The talks lasted over an hour and were comprehensive and friendly, with mutual understanding, the Deputy Premier's office said.

Aisawa underscored the importance of Yugoslavia's full return to the international community, saying the implementation of the Dayton accords was the road to stability, development and further democratic processes in the region.

Djunic said it was necessary for Yugoslavia to be reintegrated into international organizations, especially international financial institutions, where there were still certain obstacles of a political nature. Djunic spoke about Japan's role in the world as a global factor with a strong economy, which can contribute to stabilization and economic development, and said he hoped Japan would approach Yugoslavia's situation with understanding.

Djunic informed Aisawa about the concept of economic reforms aimed primarily at creating an open market economy. Integral reforms cannot be achieved quickly, but are a lengthy process, he said.

Yugoslavia is interested in open cooperation with all international subjects, including Japan, in order to secure necessary help for the implementation of reforms, he said.

Aisawa spoke about the significant possibilities, activities, but also certain principles which determine Japan's participation in supporting economic reforms in certain countries.

Views were exchanged on prospects for overall and especially economic cooperation. Interest was expressed in Japanese capital entering Yugoslavia and the expansion of trade, but a market economy and international standards are necessary for this, it was agreed.

The announced exchange of ambassadors will give impetus to further bilateral development, as well as a continuation and promotion of high- level dialogue, said Djunic.

Aisawa said the useful talks had given him a better understanding of Yugoslavia. He invited Djunic soon to visit Japan, said the statement.

[03] SERBIAN LANGUAGE AND ALPHABET SHOULD ENTER OFFICIAL USE

Tanjug, 1997-09-13

Discussions about the return of refugees and the state of Serb media in Croatia, chaired by Milorad Pupovac, continued on Saturday the second day of the session of the Serbian National Council Presidency in Croatia.

Presidency members adopted unanimously on Friday the proposal of the President of the Serb cultural society Prosveta, Slobodan Uzelac, to make known to President Franjo Tudjman and to the entire public the document about the educational and cultural autonomy of Serbs in Croatia, especially the recently-signed agreement on the education of Serb children in the region under UNTAES administration, was neglected or simply not put into practice.

Uzelac characterized the actions of the Croatian Education and Sports Minister and of other representatives of education authorities in Croatia as "deliberate and organized obstruction of the declared right of the Serb community to cultural and educational autonomy, which in the end is also detrimental for the Republic of Croatia."

In his view, that Ministry should review its actions, put an end to obstruction and start acting in accordance with the Constitution and signed documents.

The Serbian National Council Presidency in conclusion called on parents and school children to attend Serb schools in the region in spite of the risks involved.

The call is the result of the opinion that things will improve in the future and that the risks of schooling and finding employment with diplomas obtained in Serb schools will diminish as the society moves further away from war.

The Presidency, discussing the right and possibilities of using the official Serbian language everywhere in the Republic of Croatia where the Serb community represents a majority or a significant minority of the population, adopted an Act on the public use on an equal footing of the Serbian language and the cyrillic alphabet.

"We demand that the Serbian language and cyrillic, in cities or municipalities where Serbs form a majority or a significant minority, be in official use, so that official documents are issued in both languages and alphabets," Pupovac said.

He stressed that the Act was also significant because of the media, so that Serb media in the region, but also in other parts of Croatia could use their language and alphabet.

The Act is significant, he added, also because of signposting in the Serbian language for towns, street names and other public institutions, as is the case in some other parts of Croatia where representatives of other national minorities live.

[04] SERB NATIONAL COUNCIL: SERBS WILL NOT BE PLACED IN GHETTOS

Tanjug, 1997-09-12

The Presidency of the Serb National Council began a two-day session in Vukovar on Friday under the chairmanship of its President Milorad Pupovac. The Council is in charge of issues concerning the return of displaced persons, schools, media and the preservation of elements of national identity.

"Serb people do not ask for special privileges, simply for the privilege of being equal with others," Pupovac said, adding that Serbs demanded those rights which others already have - the right to their script, language, religion, culture and sense of belonging to their people.

Pupovac said the Council did not intend to place Serbs in ghettos in Croatia. With their existence and functioning, Serb people primarily want to contribute to the democratization of Croatia and the normalization of relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia, he said. This will not be possible, however, without organized institutions for preserving the Serb identity, he said.

Speaking about the objectives of the Presidency session, Council Vice- President Svetozar Livada pointed out that this institution was ready to be the best partner in dialogue to all Croatian institution.

"We have the intellectual strength to be the defense mechanism for all assaults on the lives and property of the Serb people in Croatia," said Livada.

In an introductory speech, Srem-Baranja region's Joint Council of Municipalities President Milos Vojinovic underlined that the Councils and other institutions would do their utmost to contribute to the settlement of all topical issues.

Pointing out that Serb institutions do not exist in order to criticize certain institutions in Croatia without any arguments, Vojinovic said the basic objective was to realize the rights guaranteed to the Serb people on the basis of agreements signed earlier.

Serb Independent Democratic Party (SDSS) President Vojislav Stanimirovic said the Serb National Council should protect the rights and interests of Serbs in Croatia, which is far from easy, since Croatia passes laws made according to European standards but does not implement them in practice.

Stanimirovic illustrated this with the concrete example of schools in the region. Already at the beginning of the school year, the Croatian Ministry of Education violated an agreement on education.

Documents analyzing the situation in the region of the U.N. Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonija (UNTAES), which are being prepared, will be presented soon to Transitional Administrator Walker and ambassadors of member-states of the Contact Group.

Stanimirovic said he was confident the analysis prepared by the Serb leadership, together with reports by other interested sides and international observers, would considerably add to top international institutions getting the real picture about the situation in the region.

[05] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA OFFICIAL SAYS 230,000 PEOPLE UNABLE TO VOTE

Tanjug, 1997-09-14

Republika Srpska Deputy Prime Minister in charge of international relations Aleksa Buha said after casting his ballot in Pale on Sunday that he felt both satisfied and bitter.

Buha, who is also acting President of Republika Srpska's Serb Democratic Party (SDS), also said he was "satisfied that we are taking part in the municipal elections and bitter because a lot of Serbs were unable to exercise their democratic right."

He said that 160,000 people from the FR of Yugoslavia and another 70,000 from the Republika Srpska were unable to cast their ballots in the Bosnian Serb state.

Buha called on the Republika Srpska people to come to the polls and exercise their democratic right, despite irregularities created by the international community.

He said that representatives of the international community had disrespected an agreement, reached in Belgrade, on constituents in Brcko and that the international community was responsible for major violations of election rules there.

Commenting that during the making of the election rules, a great deal of changes and irregularities took place, Buha said that the Provisional Election Commission's latest rule that the elected municipal bodies of power would have a two-year mandate was made public on the eve of the elections. He also said that this clashed with the Dayton Peace Accords.

[06] VOTING AT LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA WELL ORGANIZED IN FRY

Tanjug, 1997-09-14

OSCE deputy coordinator for voting outside Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gerda Theuermann said that the voting process at the local election in Bosnia- Herzegovina in the territory of the FR of Yugoslavia was very well organized.

Theuermann arrived from Vienna to follow the voting process in the territory of the FRY and visited on Saturday polling stations in Belgrade, Stara Pazova, Indjija, Novi Sad and Ruma.

"My impressions are excellent. The polling stations are organized according to regulations and the local staff and supervisors are very experienced, enabling the voting process to proceed as it should," Theuermann told Tanjug.

Asked to explain the omissions registered on Saturday at some polling stations, she said that some technical omissions had been registered, but that they had been removed. The omissions involved an insufficient number of reserve ballots for those voters who could not find themselves on the lists but who possessed written confirmation that they were registered voters.

"Those who were not listed received reserve ballots which are cast in separate boxes and sent to the Sarajevo Provisional Election Commission. These ballots, and the regular ones, will be counted by international observers, OSCE supervisors and representatives of all three peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Theuermann said.

[07] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL ADDRESSED THE IPU PLENARY SESSION

Tanjug, 1997-09-14

Yugoslav Parliament official said here on Saturday he was convinced that Yugoslavia's internal reforms, its activities in the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and its commitment to an overall regional economic and political cooperation led to its faster reintegration into the international community.

Chamber of Republics Speaker (Upper House) Srdja Bozovic heads a Yugoslav delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference in Cairo.

On the third day of the Conference, Bozovic said at a plenary session's general debate that a confirmation of democratic reforms was indispensable for a faster development of the FR of Yugoslavia and its member-republics of Montenegro and Serbia.

Bozovic also referred to the world's political, economic and social situation and to economic and social reforms and democratic processes currently under way in Yugoslavia.

The IPU rallies members of 140 parliaments the world over. Participating in the Cairo Conference are about 1,600 delegates from 138 countries.

[08] FAVOURABLE RUSSIAN LOAN FOR YUGOSLAVIA

Tanjug, 1997-09-12

Delegations of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and the Russian Federation met here to coordinate a draft agreement between their two governments for a state loan to FRY for financing the export of Russian equipment, goods and services, as well as other major issues for the promotion of the two countries' overall economic relations, the Federal Information Secretariat said on Friday.

The FRY and Russian delegations were headed by Deputy Finance Ministers Dragutin Vucinic and Mikhail Kasyanov respectively, who signed the draft agreement.

The agreement has secured on a long term basis the import of Russian goods, especially, equipment needed by the Yugoslav economy.

The two delegations made up a list of Yugoslav companies importers from the Russian Federation. The list will be open to new additions in keeping with Yugoslav needs.

The other conditions of the loan are much more favourable than was initially proposed by the Russian side. The loan will amount up to 150 million dollars, with a +1.25 % interest rate, it will be used in the 1997- 99 period, with possible new loans if this one is not used up at the end of the period. Also achieved was a very favourable repayment schedule and a grace period in keeping with the type of equipment and goods imported from the Russian Federation.

The agreement is the first goods loan which FRY has received and which will be used for the renewal and reconstruction of the Yugoslav economy.

The forthcoming session of the Inter-Government Yugoslav-Russian Committee, planned for this October, will continue work on the coordination of an inter-bank arrangement aimed to put the agreement into operation.

During the Russian delegation's visit, also was held a meeting between the representatives of the National Bank of Yugoslavia and the Vnyshekonombank of the Russian Federation which focused on the balance of the clearing account. The two sides' corresponding bodies will continue activities in this sphere.

The Russian delegation also exchanged views on the two countries' activities in international financial institutions. The Russian delegation expressed readiness to fully support the reintegration of FRY into international financial and trade organizations, the Federal Information Secretariat said in a statement.

[09] MOMIR BULATOVIC - DPS CANDIDATE

Tanjug, 1997-09-13

The Montenegrin Election Commission confirmed and declared on Saturday the candidacy of Momir Bulatovic for President of Montenegro, submitted by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) of Montenegro, represented by Momir Bulatovic.

The Election Commission confirmed the candidacy of Momir Bulatovic on the basis of the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, which has assessed as unconstitutional the legal provision about the election of the President of the Republic, according to which a political party can have only one candidate for the highest office.

The proposed candidacy of Momir Bulatovic for President of the Republic fulfils all conditions determined by law for his confirmation and proclamation, the Montenegrin Election Commission said.

[10] CANCAR: MORE THAN 90 PERCENT TURNOUT OF VOTERS

Tanjug, 1997-09-14

Republika Srpska Elections Commission President Petko Cancar said in Pale late on Sunday that figures available to the Commission showed that more than 90% of the citizens of Republika Srpska had gone to the polls to vote for municipal authorities on Saturday and Sunday.

Cancar expressed satisfaction with the number of citizens who cast their votes and said elections had proceeded without any problems, which the many controllers and supervisors at the polling stations could have seen for themselves.

He said he expected the first preliminary results for municipalities would be known on Monday.

[11] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES OSCE DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1997-09-13

Serbian Parliament Speaker and acting Serbian President Dragan Tomic on Saturday received a delegation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), headed by Anthony Welch.

The OSCE delegation will be monitoring Serbia's parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for September 21.

The Serbian Parliament Press Office said in a statement released after the meeting that the delegation had been informed about what had so far been achieved in the organization of the coming elections.

It was heard at the meeting that, as on all previous occasions, all steps had been taken to ensure fair and democratic elections.

Tomic said that the presence of OSCE observers would be of mutual interest and that the officially accredited monitors would have direct access to all election documents and to all polling stations. The OSCE observers will also have access to all information they should consider interesting.

Welch thanked Serbian authorities for giving the OSCE delegation a direct insight into all the documents and information that would help them become better informed about the election process, the statement said.

[12] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC: YUGOSLAVIA'S ROAD TO EUROPE

Tanjug, 1997-09-14

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic said on Sunday at the inauguration of the trans-Yugoslav highway section from Subotica to Feketic, that it should be Yugoslavia's road into Europe and a peaceful future.

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by over 50,000 people, Milosevic inaugurated the 55-kilometre-long highway section from Subotica to Feketic.

"I am very gratified that we are opening today together this modern highway, which should be of great importance for our whole country and I would say of equal importance for all of Europe.

Allow me at the very beginning to thank, in your and in my name, the builders of this highway. Rain like this one today often interrupted them this summer but they completed it anyway two months ahead of schedule. They would have finished it even earlier if it had not been for the rain. But on the other hand it was very beneficial for agriculture.

Allow me on the occasion of the completion of an important economic project to say a few words. In the past years we have left behind us huge difficulties. Each of these difficulties will make history, just as the fact that we had the strength to overcome all of them. And today we can say that economic revival has started and that it is well under way.

This is confirmed by the fact that we have the highest industrial and agricultural production growth rate, that we have the highest growth of investments, that the basis of our development is growing stronger every day and that in many fields, especially in infrastructure, telecommunications, energy infrastructure and other fields we have made even seven-mile steps this year.

Further revival will gain momentum once we regulate fully relations with the international community, and here I think about both financial and political relations. That is why it is of great importance, among other things, how the situation will evolve and the pursuit of the implementation of the program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Republika Srpska.

I want to tell you that since the moment an agreement was reached as defined by the Dayton agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina it became clear that the interests of the international community, the interests of the people in Republika Srpska and the interests of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are converging. That is why it is precisely the greatest interest of Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska and of all our people that the agreement is implemented consistently.

I am certain that everyone here in Yugoslavia and in Republika Srpska will do their utmost for the agreement to be implemented. The first task in Republika Srpska is to make sure that the leadership is united, and that they do not fight for power.

The people in Republika Srpska should elect a leadership whose first concern should be their problems, instead of fighting for power. That unity is indispensable in the interest of our people. Here, Serbia is the best example how unity was necessary in order to successfully start revival. It would not have been possible to start, and the Government of National Unity would not have been successful if that unity, in the political sense, had not been achieved in Serbia.

I am certain that the citizens of the FRY, of Republika Srpska and the entire Serbian people will know how much this unity is important for the successful continuation of processes that have started here and there, in the interest of the assertion of our national interests and the interests of all citizens of the FR of Yugoslavia.

I want to say that I am very pleased, and I think that we are all pleased that this new highway is starting its life here, in the north of our country, in Vojvodina. In Vojvodina which, I would say in a symbolic manner represents a model how people live and develop together who belong to different nationalities, different religions, who have different interests, to live in peace and to make progress in the most important fields.

I am certain that all of Yugoslavia will live that way and that this model, that exists in Vojvodina, will be developed very well in multiethnic, multicultural, multinational Yugoslavia, where only on the policy of national equality can be based any progressive policy.

Allow me to say finally that this good will and cooperation among peoples and between people in the territory of Vojvodina and in the territory of Yugoslavia will overcome all big and small hatreds that lie on the way of development of our country, and that this highway will be a road leading our Yugoslavia into calmer waters and a happier life," Milosevic said.

[13] MILUTINOVIC AND GRANIC MEET FOR TALKS

Tanjug, 1997-09-15

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic and Croatian Foreign Minister and Vice-Premier Mate Granic opened talks on bilateral cooperation in Belgrade on Monday.

After the talks, Milutinovic and Granic are to sign a number of agreements on cooperation in spheres crucial to the promotion of Yugoslav-Croatian relations.

Granic arrived in Belgrade earlier in the day at Milutinovic's invitation.

[14] NEW WAVE OF TERRORISM IN KOSMET

Tanjug, 1997-09-12

Some ten terrorist attacks on police stations in Kosovo and Metohija were carried out almost simultaneously a little after Thursday midnight.

The terrorists used automatic guns and bombs against the police in Rznic near Decani, in Kijevo, Suva Reka, Glogovac, Klincina, Podnosevac near Djakovica, Rudnik near Srbica and in Pec.

No-one was injured but considerable material damage was inflicted.

Radio Pristina said that the police used weapons to repel the terrorists. There is no information whether the attackers had casualties.

During the night, strong police forces blocked the roads leading towards the attacked police stations and a large scale investigation was mounted.

This is the biggest wave of terrorist attacks in Kosovo and Metohija recorded in the past years. So far, responsibility for all similar attacks was claimed by the Albanian separatist terrorist organization "Liberation Army of Kosovo."

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