Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-03-04

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAVIA, FINLAND PLAN TO DEVELOP COOPERATION

[02] KINKEL'S PLOT FOR RETURN OF FALSE ASYLUM-SEEKERS

[03] SERBIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES EDUCATION MINISTER

[04] FRENCH AMBASSADOR VISITS PRISTINA

[05] UPPER HOUSE RATIFIES SEVERAL AGREEMENTS WITH CROATIA DEPUTY PREMIER: KOSOVO ISSUE MUST NOT BE INTERNATIONALIZED

[06] DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS NO RALLIES, INCIDENTS REPORTED IN KOSOVO

[07] FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISIT

[08] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH HEADS OF EU MISSIONS

[09] VUKOVIC HOLDS TALKS WITH VAN DEN BROEK

[01] YUGOSLAVIA, FINLAND PLAN TO DEVELOP COOPERATION

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic held a meeting Tuesday in Belgrade with the visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on the present state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation and to take note of the favourable conditions for the development of economic, political, cultural and other relations, Jovanovic said after the meeting.

The talk also focused on the relations between Yugoslavia and the European Union, Jovanovic said and underlined that Finland was following in this regard an open and well-intentioned policy. As a EU member, Finland can help accelerate the normalization of the overall relations between Yugoslavia and the EU, Jovanovic said. Jovanovic and Halonen also discussed the peace process, the development of relations with neighbouring countries and regional integration processes. Halonen told the press that she had discussed with Jovanovic the development of bilateral cooperation, European integration processes and Yugoslavia's reintegration in international institutions. European integration and cooperation are open to all European countries, Halonen said and added she hoped that Yugoslavia would do everything to join those process in a very near future. Finland endorses the EU stance as regards the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, Halonen said. Finland condemns all incidents of violence in Kosovo and hopes that dialogue would be initiated shortly in the province, Halonen said.

[02] KINKEL'S PLOT FOR RETURN OF FALSE ASYLUM-SEEKERS

Tanjug, 1998-03-02

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, well-known for his "constant" concern for the problems of Serbia and Yugoslavia, has of late gone out of his way to impose on the home and wider public the issue of the return of false asylum-seekers from Kosovo and Metohija, ignoring the provisions of the recently concluded inter-state Yugoslav-German agreement on this issue, and in order to continue unprincipled pressure on Yugoslavia. In an attempt to find a "better solution" and thus by-pass the valid agreement which very precisely regulates the conditions for the return to Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija of ethnic Albanians who have been refused asylum in Germany, Kinkel presented his own platform for settling this issue in Tirana recently, with an evident intent to draw Albania into this clearly internal problem of Germany. Kinkel said in Tirana bluntly that he would not permit 10 percent of the Kosovo Serbs to oppress 90 percent of ethnic Albanians, and that Albania would be the transit country for the return of about 400,000 ethnic Albanians from Germany to Kosmet, including, as he said, 140,000 failed asylum seekers. Kinkel probably thought that this flood of 400,000 people, used for political purposes and then banished from the promised land of Germany, could reach Kosovo and Metohija more easily via Albania, which no longer guards its border with Yugoslavia following its troubles at the beginning of 1997.

The German Minister has evidently forgotten that this border is well- protected and guarded from the Yugoslav side. He would like to determine where Yugoslav citizens will have to travel to reach their homes, which they had left to go to his "promised land." True, Kinkel promised that the return of false asylum-seekers via Albania would imply previous preparations (supposedly exercises for overcoming natural obstacles), and that this would be done within a certain time period so as not to provoke the dissatisfaction of the people who are returning. Kinkel apparently laid all this out to Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, but Nano did not accept the German Minister's plan, one can freely say, diabolical plan. Instead of the unnecessary and infinitely dangerous interference of Albania in this problem, it would be far better if Kinkel would settle the problem of the return of false asylum-seekers with the Serbian and Yugoslav authorities, which is logical and natural. It should be pointed out yet again that Yugoslavia regulated with Germany the entire problem of the return of false asylum-seekers, whom Kinkel calls "refugees" (and yet banishes them) with the above mentioned agreement which took effect on Dec 1, 1996. It is also solid fact that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia accepted in the negotiations everything the German side had considered should be included in that agreement, having in mind Yugoslavia's objective conditions and possibilities. The opening of the issue of asylum-seekers within this framework, in the manner that Minister Kinkel frequently does, at the present time is certainly not conducive to the due implementation and realization of this agreement, but is done solely for the purpose of putting further pressure on Yugoslavia - primarily with respect to Kosovo and Metohija, as the majority of the rejected asylum-seekers are members of the Albanian national minority from Kosmet. During his visit to Belgrade in May 1996, Kinkel had strongly insisted that Yugoslavia accept all those who had been denied asylum in Germany. He had said that there were about 100, 000 such persons at that time. Yugoslavia had accepted, provided the persons were Yugoslav citizens. The German side had then demanded in the negotiations that this somewhat larger number of people - close to 120,000 false asylum-seekers - be repatriated within a period of not less than three years. Yugoslav representatives had agreed to this.

Yugoslavia had demonstrated in practice on this example as well that it is a state ruled by law which is truly against illegal migrations and does not wish violate its own obligations in the area of international affairs, primarily where its citizens are concerned. Thus, it came about that the inter-state agreement between Yugoslavia and Germany was concluded, on the return of Yugoslav and German citizens who had been refused asylum or are for some other reason residing illegally in the territories of Yugoslavia or Germany. Judging on public reactions, everyone is more or less satisfied with the implementation of this agreement, including the German Interior Ministry. It seems that the only exception is Herr Kinkel himself. Kinkel would now like to forget the existence of the Yugoslav-German agreement which was signed in October 1996 on behalf of the German Government by his colleague, German Interior Minister Manfred Kanter. It is interesting and symptomatic that Kinkel now does not mind in the least that hundreds of thousands of Kosovo and Metohija Albanians will return to Yugoslavia, although he claims, as he reiterated during his visit to Tirana, that members of the Albanian national minority in Serbia's southern province are allegedly completely stripped of their rights. When Yugoslav representatives had earlier discussed the reintegration of false asylum- seekers and the conditions necessary for this, Kinkel and his associates had not acted, one should emphasize, like Europeans at all, even though they often advise others to do so. The positive examples to the contrary are other western European countries - such as Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Austria, and others. In any case, a genuine progress must be made in this area strictly in close cooperation and together with Yugoslavia as the country of re*admission. We should believe and hope that, in settling this problem as well, common sense will prevail over force, which can never boast of being wise.

[03] SERBIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES EDUCATION MINISTER

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

Serbian President Milan Milutinovic received Serbian Education Minister Jovo Todorovic Tuesday, the presidential office said in a statement. Todorovic briefed Milutinovic on the current situation concerning education in Serbia, the Ministry's efforts towards a further development of the education system, greater adjustment of school curriculums to the needs of the modern society and students, and other aspects of an overall education reform. The meeting focused on a university reform and plans for enroling students to reflect the employment demands, as well as on other activities aimed at adapting the entire education system to the needs of a social progress in general. Todorovic also informed the Serbian President of material issues and problems in education. The meeting was devoted also to a regional development of the education system in Serbia. It was noted that education in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija was being promoted, which yielded certain results. Efforts are being exerted through the 3 plus 3 group towards a full normalization of the education process in Kosovo-Metohija in line with the single education system in Serbia and in the spirit of an agreement reached between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova. It was noted that these efforts were expected to be completed regardless of terrorist attacks by ethnic Albanian separatists, who were unsuccessfully trying to disturb people's living and work in the province, the statement said.

[04] FRENCH AMBASSADOR VISITS PRISTINA

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

French Ambassador to Yugoslavia Stanislas Filliol conferred in Pristina on Tuesday with Deputy Chief of the Kosovo district Veljko Odalovic and provincial Information Secretary Bosko Drobnjak, said the Information Secretariat of Kosovo and Metohija. Odalovic informed the Ambassador in detail about the latest terrorist attacks in Kosovo and Metohija and Monday's demonstrations in Pristina, which had been organized by the coordinating committee of ethnic Albanian political parties and the union of independent students, which clearly gave support to terrorism. The organizers tried to present terrorists as victims and national heroes, which is a clear message that they hold the same or similar positions, Odalovic said.

Ambassador Filliol conveyed the stand of the international community that problems in Kosovo and Metohija must be resolved peacefully and within Yugoslavia's borders, and also that no secession of this part of the state of Serbia would be allowed. Both sides condemned the terrorist attacks by Albanian separatists and pointed out that leaders of Albanian political parties must unequivocally and sharply condemn the repeated acts of terrorism. At the end of the talks, Odalovic set out that the announced elections in March merely prolonged the agony of leaders of Albanian political parties and the Albanian national minority, as they did not enjoy the support of the international community. It was pointed out in the talks that it was very important for the agreement on education to be implemented as soon as possible and that children return to the legal education system.

[05] UPPER HOUSE RATIFIES SEVERAL AGREEMENTS WITH CROATIA DEPUTY PREMIER: KOSOVO ISSUE MUST NOT BE INTERNATIONALIZED

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Lilic said Tuesday that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia rejected any attempt at internationalizing the problem of Kosovo-Metohija. Lilic told the press that the "good services" of the European Union in resolving the Kosovo problem should be based on the EU abiding by its own principles and its own Declaration on Human Rights. It would then be easy to find a good solution, Lilic said. It is in EU's interest too to have the Kosovo issue resolved on the basis of Serbia's and Yugoslavia's sovereignty, Lilic said and added that it would certainly be so. The EU must be aware of the potential harm of terrorism, which must be condemned at all opportunities and by all institutions, Lilic underlined. The trust among Serbs, Montenegrins and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo must be restored through intensified endeavors, paving the way for talks among all parties. The same principle should also be followed by EU member-states, Lilic said. The Serbian parliament will shortly initiate a debate on the Kosovo issue and Serbian government and president have the duty of taking all the measures at their disposal, Lilic said. Commenting the condemnation by the EU Monday of the manner of dispersing the demonstrations in Pristina, Lilic said it must be seen in the light of the behaviour of other countries in similar situations.

[06] DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS NO RALLIES, INCIDENTS REPORTED IN KOSOVO

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

Yugoslav Defence Minister Pavle Bulatovic said Tuesday that, according to reports he had received, the situation in Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija was calm at this point and that there were no rallies or incidents there. Asked by reporters at the Yugoslav parliament whether there would be war in Serbia's southern province, Bulatovic said "there will be no war because nobody wants it. Only terrorists want it." Bulatovic said the issue of Kosovo and Metohija might be in the focus of a session of the EU Parliament. "Kosovo is in the focus of certain international factors and the international public," he said adding, however, that it was evident that the issue was not being dealt with in a proper manner.

"If separatists in Kosovo did not enjoy support by a part of the international community, there would be no terrorism and the Kosovo problem would not be what it is today," he said. Bulatovic said there was no reason why the Yugoslav Government should deal with the issue because Serbia could settle and was trying to settle the situation in Kosovo through its legal and other instruments.

[07] FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISIT

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

In response to a news report by Belgrade's privately-run Braca Karic (BK) TV station that Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos will visit Yugoslavia as part of a mediating mission, the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Tuesday saying that Pangalos's visit had been planned for a long time and arranged through diplomatic channels. The Ministry said that official statements were released as early as on Feb. 24 to inform both the Yugoslav and the Greek public about the visit. The Ministry statement qualified as unfounded the BK TV's attempt to put the purpose of Pangalos's visit into a context other than that of maintaining friendly bilateral relations and cooperation.

[08] DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH HEADS OF EU MISSIONS

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulajic on Tuesday discussed with ambassadors of EU member states and the head of the EU Commission's delegation the promotion of relations and cooperation with the European Union. Bulajic informed the ambassadors about the importance attached by Yugoslavia to the promotion of overall cooperation with the European Union, including the renewal of trade preferences to Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry said. He also informed the ambassadors about the latest developments in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija.

[09] VUKOVIC HOLDS TALKS WITH VAN DEN BROEK

Tanjug, 1998-03-03

Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister Borislav Vukovic met at the Brussels-based EU headquarters on Tuesday with EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek. Vukovic and Van den Broek discussed the promotion of relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the European Union, stressing the need for developing cooperation between them, a Serbian Radio and Television correspondent said. Vukovic said the resumption of relations with the European Union was Yugoslavia's foreign policy priority as well as cooperation within the PHARE programme and boosting privatisation in the country. Vukovic and Van den Broek discussed also the issue of Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija. They agreed this was Yugoslavia's internal affair, with Van den Broek saying Yugoslav authorities should open a dialogue with ethnic Albanians living in the province. Vukovic, for his part, said Yugoslavia was ready to open a constructive dialogue but said the country expected the EU to condemn terrorism by ethnic Albanian separatists.

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