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Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-02-12Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Yugoslav Daily SurveyCONTENTS
[01] AGREEMENT ON CITIZENSHIP WITH BOSNIA SUBMITED FOR RATIFICATIONTanjug, 1998-02-11The Yugoslav government submitted to the Federal Parliament on Wednesday a Bill on the ratification of the Yugoslavia-Bosnia-Herzegovina Agreement on Citizenship, which will enable Bosnia-Herzegovina citizens to have also Yugoslav citizenship. Under the agreement, signed in Belgrade last December 13, Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will separately regulate the issues of military service, suffrage, ownership and other rights which are exercised on the basis of citizenship. [02] MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION PRESIDENT THREATENS WITH NEW WAR OVER BRCKOTanjug, 1998-02-11President of the Muslim-Croat Federation Ejup Ganic said on Wednesday in Vienna that there would be no peace in Bosnia for many years if Brcko were to be given to Republika Srpska. Federation representatives are presenting their final testimonies and arguments to the International Arbitration Commission for Brcko which is to take a definite decision on the town's status by March 15. Ganic told a press conference that he would reject any fresh postponement of a definite decision on Brcko, explaining that if the "gateway to Europe" were to remain part of Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb entity could then unite with Serbia while the Federation would turn to Croatia. If the Muslims do not accept this, they will remain confined to an enclave, Ganic said. That would be the end of Bosnia-Herzegovina and consequently of peace for many years to come, Ganic said. Observers in Vienna expect the Arbitration Commission to rule that Brcko should keep its present status for at least a couple of years - remaining part of Republika Srpska under the control of a US supervisor. This would enable the RS government to consolidate its position and demonstrate its willingness to comply with the Dayton Agreement. Bosnian Croats, who did not wish to be in the same delegation with the Muslims, submitted to the Commission a proposal to divide Brcko into three municipalities. The town would then be administered by a council comprising representatives of all three Bosnian peoples. This proposal is considered by Ganic as a better solution than the present status, but observers believe it has little chance of being accepted by the Commission. The proposal to place Brcko under the supervision of central Bosnia- Herzegovina authorities is also considered as having little chance of being approved. [03] LETTER OF PROTEST SENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITYTanjug, 1998-02-11The Co-Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina from Republika Srpska Boro Bosic on Wednesday sent a letter of protest to the international community, demanding that arrested Serb Goran Vasic be handed over to RS authorities. In the letter, Bosic said that Vasic would be tried in RS if he had violated any RS laws, RS army regulations, or international norms as a member of the Republika Srpska Army. Since the Bosnia-Herzegovina authorities have grossly violated the articles of the Dayton Accords, as well as norms of behaviour of police in a civilized society, Bosic asked that severe sanctions be applied against the persons responsible. Bosic demanded that representatives of the international community enable him to visit Vasic in the Muslim prison in Sarajevo. Explaining his demands, Bosic said the Bosnia-Herzegovina Federation authorities in the case of last week's arrest of Goran Vasic inflicted a heavy blow to the efforts of the international community and the peace- oriented forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina for the further stabilization of peace and implementation of the Dayton Accords. Bosic pointed out that the incident had taken place immediately following a conference on the return of refugees to Sarajevo and that it was an answer to the conference conclusions by those who forced Serbs to flee Sarajevo. Bosic underlined that it was impermissible that such an action should come from legal institutions of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Federation which should protect the freedom of movement and take active part in strengthening confidence. The protest letter was sent to Deputy High Representative of the international community Jacques Klein, SFOR commander Gen. Eric Shinseki, U.N. special envoy Elisabeth Rehn, and international police force IPTF Commissioner Major Manfred Seitner. [04] FINNISH PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RECEIVED YUGOSLAV AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-02-11President of the Finnish Parliament Ritta Uosukainen has received Yugoslav Ambassador to Finland Dusan Crnogorcevic. A lengthy friendly talk was devoted to the development of relations in the Balkans and the promotion of Yugoslav-Finnish parliamentary cooperation. The two sides agreed that it was indispensable to establish direct contacts between the parliaments of the two countries and resume dialogue, with a view to further developing the bilateral relations. [05] INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOUTHEAST EUROPE UNESCO.Tanjug, 1998-02-11A two-day International Conference on southeast Europe ended at the Paris- based headquarters of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) late on Tuesday. More than 30 papers by experts on southeast Europe, historians, sociologists and other scholars were circulated during the conference whose work included debates on three different subjects. The conference was co-organised by UNESCO and the International Association of Southeast European Studies (AIESEE), at the initiative by permanent southeast European members of The Yugoslav delegation to the conference, headed by Professor Vladimir Stambuk, included head of Section for multilateral cooperation of the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry Branko Brankovic, Director of the Serbian Bureau for scientific, educational, cultural and technical cooperation Boris Iljenko and Professor Andreja Miletic. Other Yugoslav experts on the Balkans, including Bosko Bojovic and Ljubinka Trgovcevic, also took part in the conference. Iljenko said the Bureau and a number of scientific, cultural and university institutions from abroad would soon launch an initiative to organise a conference on southeast European civilisations, their history and prospects that would be held annually. [06] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS MACEDONIATanjug, 1998-02-11A delegation of the Yugoslav Federal Assembly (Parliament) Chamber of Citizens (Lower House) Foreign Affairs Committee arrived on a two-day official visit to Macedonia late on Wednesday. This is the first visit by a Yugoslav parliamentary delegation to Macedonia since the two countries established diplomatic relations. The delegation is headed by Committee Chairman Ljubisa Ristic, and comprises also Ivica Dacic, Cedomir Mirkovic and Dragisa Pesic. Apart from talks in the Macedonian Parliament and a meeting with the Parliament Speaker, the delegation will meet with Macedonia's Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Minister of Culture and other government officials. [07] CHIEF LEGAL ADVISER ETINSKI RECEIVED PROSECUTOR ARBOURTanjug, 1998-02-11Chief Legal Adviser of the Federal Foreign Minister Rodoljub Etinski on Wednesday received Prosecutor Louise Arbour of the International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia. During the working visit, views were exchanged on issues of common interest for the promotion of mutual cooperation. It was agreed to mutual satisfaction, that there were no problems in the realization of the agreement between Yugoslavia and the United Nations on a liaison office of the Tribunal prosecutor in Belgrade. [08] YUGOSLAV STATE PROSECUTOR JOKANOVIC RECEIVED PROSECUTOR ARBOURTanjug, 1998-02-11Yugoslav State Prosecutor Vukasin Jokanovic received on Wednesday Prosecutor Louise Arbour of the Hague International war-crimes Tribunal, a government statement said. Prosecutor Arbour inquired about the prosecution of persons guilty of serious violations of International Humanitarian Law. Yugoslav State Prosecutor Jokanovic informed Arbour that Yugoslavia, as a signatory of international conventions in the domain of International Humanitarian Law, fulfilled the assumed obligations and was ready to cooperate with and extend legal assistance to the Hague Tribunal prosecutors. Jokanovic said Yugoslavia was ready to pursue also other forms of cooperation in keeping with its Constitution and laws. The Yugoslav side informed Arbour that four persons in Yugoslavia had been sentenced to maximum prison terms for crimes falling under International Humanitarian Law and that criminal proceedings were under way against three other persons. The Yugoslav side expressed readiness to prosecute every person for whom there was evidence that the person had committed a crime against humanity and international law. Both sides assessed the talk as useful. [09] DEPUTY PREMIER KUTLESIC RECEIVED PROSECUTOR ARBOURTanjug, 1998-02-11Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Vladan Kutlesic on Wednesday received Prosecutor Louise Arbour of the International Tribunal in the Hague and Yugoslav Justice Minister Zoran Knezevic. The visitors informed Kutlesic about the contents and results of their talks on Tuesday and other talks during Arbour's several days' long visit to Yugoslavia, a federal government statement said. It was agreed that the talks on all aspects of cooperation between Yugoslavia and this international institution had been fruitful and that evident progress had been achieved in resolving outstanding issues. [10] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER RECEIVED IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALTanjug, 1998-02-11Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister Borislav Vukovic received on Wednesday General Director for Central and Eastern Europe of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Ibrahim Rahimpur. The hitherto economic cooperation between the two countries and its future promotion were discussed, a government statement said. [11] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVED IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALTanjug, 1998-02-11Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic received on Wednesday General Director for Central and Eastern Europe of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Ibrahim Rahimpur. Minister Jovanovic and Rahimpur discussed possibilities for the promotion of relations between Yugoslavia and Iran on the basis of equality, non- interference and mutual interests. [12] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARY OFFICIAL RECEIVED IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRYTanjug, 1998-02-11It was assessed in the talk that parliamentary, state, economic, cultural and sports relations between Yugoslavia and Iran should be developed, since relations between the two countries can help Balkan peoples of different faiths and ideological commitments to live in peace and to cooperate. Ristic said he was convinced that tolerance, a multi-cultural and multi- confessional community were the future of the Balkan peoples. He stressed that Yugoslavia was doing everything to strengthen elements which linked and not divided the Balkan peoples. Cooperation and not isolation, openness and not insularity are the tradition of our country, Ristic set out. Rahimpur invited a Yugoslav parliamentary delegation to visit Teheran in March, and underlined that his country wanted to have good relations with Yugoslavia. [13] AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR PETRITSCH VISITS PRISTINATanjug, 1998-02-11Austria and the international community do not support the secession of Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija, Austrian Ambassador in Belgrade Wolfgang Petritsch said in a talk with Kosovo District Deputy Chief Veljko Odalovic and Kosovo and Metohija Information Secretary Bosko Drobnjak. Ambassador Petritsch underlined that Kosovo and Metohija was an internal affair of Serbia and Yugoslavia, but said that "the current situation is untenable and dialogue must open as soon as possible," a released statement said. Odalovic and Drobnjak stressed that Serbia had always been ready for compromise and had showed good will for dialogue, but that the fact remained that ethnic-Albanian "political leaders are not renouncing the idea of 'Kosovo-republic' and are not ready to sit down at the same negotiating table." It was set out in the talk that the signed Agreement on Education, which had not been implemented due to the lack of readiness for cooperation on the part of ethnic-Albanian representatives, had been the right way to establish dialogue. It was set out that the rights of national minorities in Kosovo and Metohija were in line with the highest world standards. It was stressed that the announced March elections for the so-called "Republic of Kosovo" had wrecked the hitherto efforts for dialogue, as the only way to peacefully resolve the Kosovo and Metohija issue. It was also assessed that terrorism and all other forms of violence were unacceptable as methods for the resolution of the complex problem in Kosovo and Metohija. [14] FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER VUKOVIC RECEIVED FRENCH AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-02-11Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister Borislav Vukovic on Wednesday received French Ambassador to Yugoslavia Stanislas Filiol, a federal government statement said. During the talks, the two sides agreed that there were now considerably greater possibilities for the promotion of bilateral cooperation. Vukovic informed Filiol about the current economic developments in Yugoslavia and its foreign trade activities, including those with the European Union and France. Vukovic indicated it was necessary to stimulate the economies of the two countries to restore former and set up new contacts (YuCit-Citroen, Peugeot- Zastava, Lafage-Beocin cement factory, Alcatel-PTT, etc), pointing out that Yugoslavia had modern regulations in the area of foreign trade relations, a privatization law, and other necessary legislative acts. Minister Vukovic indicated it was necessary that banks of the two countries in future follow more closely activities by businessmen and the more important projects. France was asked to provide support in connection with Yugoslavia's cooperation with the European Union on a basis of equality, for the re- imposing of E.U. trade autonomous measures toward Yugoslavia, as well as support to the regulation of its membership in the World Trade Organization. Ambassador Filiol confirmed his government's interests to promote economic cooperation with Yugoslavia and readiness to contribute to the realization of important projects on which talks are under way, as well as contacts with the respective ministries and customs administrations of the two countries, the statement said. [15] MONTENEGRO ASSEMBLY PASSED A LAW ON LISTS OF VOTERSTanjug, 1998-02-11The Montenegro Assembly passed on Wednesday, with an overwhelming majority a Law on Lists of Voters. All parliamentary parties voiced satisfaction that the law was passed by a 50-1 vote. Under the law, the municipal lists of voters will be merged into a single list of voters for the republic, the latest 20 days ahead of the elections. Once the single list of voters is closed, any change in it will require a court decision, the latest five days before the elections. [16] FOREIGN MINISTER JOVANOVIC CONFERRED WITH PREMIER DODIKTanjug, 1998-02-11Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic conferred with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik. It was agreed during the talks that the setting up of a government of national unity in Republika Srpska, headed by Dodik, had contributed to the stabilization of the situation in Republika Srpska, its further affirmation in the area of international affairs, and the strengthening of the peace process, the statement said. They said it was to be expected that the international community will provide all the necessary support and help to the RS government in the speedy reconstruction and renewal of its economy and the immediate resolving of outstanding humanitarian, social and other issues, which is one of the basic preconditions for establishing lasting peace and stability. [17] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA MILUTINOVIC RECEIVED MINISTERS TOMIC AND MILACICTanjug, 1998-02-11Serbian President Milan Milutinovic received on Wednesday Serbian Minister Coordinator Dragan Tomic and Serbian Finance Minister Borislav Milacic. The ministers informed President Milutinovic about Serbian government measures for resolving problems in the functioning of the economy and finances in the Republic. President Milutinovic stressed the importance of the need to adopt appropriate monetary and other measures for increasing exports, stabilizing the rate of exchange of the dinar and of prices, while setting up mechanisms for reacting to market developments. He urged especially an urgent, comprehensive reform of the tax system, accompanied by relevant legislation and mechanisms for its realization. The talks devoted special attention to problems of implementing the Serbian government decree on financial discipline measures. In that sense, supporting Serbian government measures for establishing financial discipline, President Milutinovic suggested the reviewing or clarification of certain measures from the decree. Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |