Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-03-31

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] UPPER HOUSE SPEAKER CONFERS WITH RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS

[02] TANJUG * THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAK-UP OF YUGOSLAVIA MAKE THEMSELVES HEARD AGAIN

[03] CROATIA MAKES PREPARATIONS FOR RETURN OF REFUGEES, KNEZEVIC SAYS

[04] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL MEETS FRENCH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

[05] RUSSIAN STATE DUMA DEPUTIES ON SERBIA'S KOSOVO-METOHIJA SITUATION

[06] YUGOSLAV HOUSE SPEAKER MEETS WITH RUSSIAN STATE DUMA DELEGATION

[07] VICE PRIME MINISTER DJUNIC ADRESSES 5TH SALONIKA FORUM

[01] UPPER HOUSE SPEAKER CONFERS WITH RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS

Tanjug, 1998-03-30

President of the Yugoslav Chamber of the Republics (Upper House) Srdja Bozovic conferred on Monday with the visiting delegation of the Russian State Duma (Lower House) headed by Deputy Speaker Artur Chilingarov.

Bozovic informed the Russian parliamentarians of the current political situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of the Government endeavors to carry out political, state and economic reforms. Referring to the situation in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija, Bozovic underlined that this issue was Serbia's internal affair and that state authorities were doing everything to lay the conditions for the exercise of the constitutional rights of the ethnic Albanian minority and of all other citizens living in Kosovo-Metohija. Serbia's Government is determined to resolve problems in Kosovo-Metohija through dialogue and by political means, but ethnic Albanian representatives obstinately refuse an open and unconditional dialogue, Bozovic said. Bozovic said he expected Russia to take a firm stance in international organizations and especially the Security Council to the effect that Kosovo-Metohija is Serbia's internal affair, and to condemn any attempts at internationalizing the problem. Bozovic also said he expected Russia to veto any Security Council resolution against Yugoslavia it it were proposed. The Russian parliamentarians condemned the activities of ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo-Metohija and expressed support to the endeavors of Serbian and Yugoslav state institutions to resolve the problem in a peaceful manner and by political means.

[02] TANJUG * THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAK-UP OF YUGOSLAVIA MAKE THEMSELVES HEARD AGAIN

Tanjug, 1998-03-30

Yugoslavia is open for cooperation with the OSCE and all other international organizations on an equal footing, which implies the renewal of the right of participation of the FR of Yugoslavia in the work of their bodies, but in the solution of internal issues, as Kosmet, it cannot support the initiative for international mediators and the inclusion of a "third party", on what insist Albanian separatists and members of the so- called negotiating team of Ibrahim Rugova.

Members of the so-called "negotiating team" of Rugova's group do not really care about dialogue, and are avoiding the dialogue offered by Serbian Government representatives without any pre-conditions. The insistance, especially of U.S. officials, that Serbia and Yugoslavia should accept at any price a foreign mediator in the talks with the leaders of Albanians in Kosmet is nothing else but interference in the internal affairs of a country. That scenario, with small "nuances" has already been seen at the time of the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, when different mediation missions and special mediators were mostly former or still active politicians from European Union (EU) member countries, who were later joined by U.S. colleagues. All of them, out of alleged concern, at first for the preservation of the Yugoslav Federation and later for the sovereignty of the hastily-recognized new states, made decisive, and it later turned out often disastrous decisions which contributed a great deal to the tragedy of the peoples in the territory of the former SFRY.

Indeed, there is no more significant international player on the Balkan scene who has not, after relinquishing office, regretted in one way or another what had been done in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. All of them have admitted their own mistakes and delusions regarding the settlement of the so called Yugoslav issue. And the "first sin", in their own words, was premature recognition of Croatia at the end of 1991 and beginning of 1992 at the insistence of official Bonn. That "sin" was, in the meantime, recognized by Lords Owen and Carrington, former Presidents Mitterrand of France and George Bush of the United States as well as by former Foreign Ministers Gianni de Michelis of Italy, James Baker of the United States, Douglas Hurd of the United Kingdom, Hans van den Broek of the Netherlands, Roland Dumas of France, Warren Christopher of the United States, by US Ambassador to the former Yugoslavia Warren Zimmermann, former UN Secretaries*General Perez de Cuellar and Boutros Boutros*Ghali and many others.

"Slovenia and Croatia, despite the warnings", said James Baker to the US Senate with a long delay, "have forcibly seceded, violating all CSCE documents and the Helsinki Final Act by using force and provoking a civil war".

"The United States and Europe have not persisted in the position that a unified Yugoslavia should be preserved", said James Baker last year before the House of Representatives, the same Baker who at the beginning of the 90*ies threatened Belgrade with air strikes allegedly for "uncooperative" attitude of the Serbian authorities in the crisis at that time. After these and similar belated confessions, the question is - weren't they fully aware that they were breaking up a country violating thus all norms of international law, by defending the interests of one side at the deteriment of another. Is the same thing now happening in Kosovo and Metohija? Because, the western press, and a number of international negotiators continue to talk about the endangered rights of ethnic Albanians in Kosmet, but do not mention, for example, why those rights are not used when they are written down in the Constitution of Serbia. More specifically, how come that these rights are used by all the other national minorities living in the Republic except for the Albanians who have so far not exercised the right to go to multi*party and democratic polls! Behind this refusal, although there are many members of the Albanian minority who go to the polls and who accept Serbia as their own country, is of course the separatist leadership who prohibit on pain of reprisals the Albanians to turn out, while at the same time they stage some "parallel" polls to elect phantom institutions, force them to the so called elections in which the outcome is known in advance.

Manipulations are, inter alia, also made with the numbers of Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, as if other communities do not live there at all, communities such as the Turks, Muslims, Romanies and others. According to some reports, it appears that there are no Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and that they have never lived there. And even if they are mentioned, the story of "the Kosovo myth" is brought to the fore to be used as an alleged vehicle in whipping up Serb nationalism. More often than not, this involves reversal of arguments. Instead of separatism and independence, on which the leaders of Albanian political parties insist, they talk about "Serbian expansionism" of sorts. They demand autonomy for Kosovar Albanians which they already have under the Constitution. They talk about violation of their human rights while ignoring the fact that this represents a classical case of separatism which fuels also the greatest scourge of this century * terrorism.

In so far as international mediators are concerned, a recent statement made by Mr. Carl Bildt, former High Representative in Bosnia, is very characteristic and maybe instructive. At a conference to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Western European Union in Brussels, he literally said: "Had Europe refused to recognize Croatia ... everything would have been different". Therefore, some of the leading Western nations, despite invoking persistently and loudly the principles of justice and democracy in conducting policy towards the States in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, should finally give up the policy of double standards. If not, doubts will not be dispelled that behind this dishonest and inconsistent policy, putting it mildly, are clear interests of those powers and their puppets bent on redrawing the map of the Balkans for the umpteenth time. The greatest contribution of international mediators, in the resolution of the Kosmet crisis, would be to "induce" the leaders of Albanian parties in Pristina to sit down at the table of negotiations.

[03] CROATIA MAKES PREPARATIONS FOR RETURN OF REFUGEES, KNEZEVIC SAYS

Tanjug, 1998-03-30

Yugoslav Ambassador in Croatia Veljko Knezevic has stated that Croatia "is preparing the terrain for the return of refugees." In a telephone statement last night to Jagodina televesion Palma Plus, Knezevic said he hoped a protocol would be signed very soon between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia on the return of refugees which will determine technical conditions, in the first place where documents will be issued, and the manner in which return will be organized, to which localities right away and to which later. Most probably, documents will be issued at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Belgrade, but also in Croatian Embassies in neighbouring countries, he said and added that and a consulate will be opened in Subotica. Ambassador Knezevic said that in Croatia there is a growing sense of responsibility for return but also international pressure and discontent because many things have not yet been done, because not many people have returned, while their number is growing every day. Knezevic said he hoped that soon all refugees in Croatia will have equal treatment, from whatever locality they have been expelled or fled.

The Yugoslav Ambassador pointed out that there were still people leaving Eastern Slavonia. "The number is not large, but this is an indication that the situation is not stable" the Ambassador said and added that every incident and case should be dealt with and solved in order to build up the confidence of Serbs to stay in Croatia.

[04] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL MEETS FRENCH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-03-30

Yugoslav Parliament's Chamber of Citizens (Lower House) Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ljubisa Ristic on Monday conferred with a French Parliamentary delegation about the current developments in the Balkan region and in Europe. In a frank and useful talk, the Yugoslav and French Parliamentarians exchanged reports that the both sides agreed would contribute to a better understanding of the political and economic situation on the international scene, and especially in Yugoslavia and France. Ristic informed the French delegation about the Parliament's activities in the domain of legislation and the harmonizing of Yugoslav laws with European standards. To that effect, he stressed that all political parties in Yugoslavia were open to talks on law and protection of national minorities. He said that all political forces in this country were exerting efforts toward preserving and continuing the building of a multi- ethnic and multi-cultural society in Yugoslavia. Ristic said that Kosovo- Metohija was Serbia's internal matter, adding that no one wanted more than Yugoslavia's citizens and all parties to see a prompt resolution of all possible misunderstandings, through an open and unconditional dialogue with the ethnic Albanian minority. He also said that Yugoslavia was permanently committed to peace and stability in the region. He stressed that Yugoslavia and its President Slobodan Milosevic, personally, had given a major contribution to the reaching of the Dayton-Paris peace accords. Ristic qualified as incomprehensible stands some European countries and the United States had toward terrorism in Kosovo-Metohija as different from the way they treated terrorism in their respective countries. He said that Yugoslavia would solve the problem in the same manner as that in practice all over the world. Yugoslavia will not allow a war in Kosovo-Metohija. We shall most strongly oppose anyone, both from within and from the outside, trying to trigger a war in this southern Serbian province, said Ristic.

He said that the international community and Contact Group member-countries did not support an "independence" or "republic" of Kosovo-Metohija. Ristic said that the international community should suggest that ethnic Albanian party leaders accept an unconditional talk, join Serbia's and Yugoslavia's social and political life and turn out in elections and that a population census be conducted in Kosovo-Metohija under international standards.

[05] RUSSIAN STATE DUMA DEPUTIES ON SERBIA'S KOSOVO-METOHIJA SITUATION

Tanjug, 1998-03-30

The Russian State Duma (Lower Hosue) will recommend to Government and Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov to veto in the U.N. Security Council a possible bid for sanctions against Yugoslavia, according to a Duma official on Monday. State Duma Deputy Speaker Artur Chilingarov was speaking in Belgrade, where he arrived earlier in the day heading a multi-party parliamentary delegation on a several-day visit to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After evening meetings with the speakers of both houses of the Yugoslav Parliament, Chilingarov told Itar-TASS news agency that Yugoslav parliamentarians are ready to join in a dialogue between the Serbian Government and Kosovo-Metohija's ethnic Albanians. He said that he and his hosts agreed that Kosovo-Metohija is an internal affair of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia, with both the Russian and Yugoslav parliamentarians showing an interest in how the situation in the province will develop. He went on to say that, objectively speaking, what is involved are efforts to weaken not only Serbia, but the Russia-friendly Yugoslav state as a whole. He further said that the delegation's visit is a continuation of the efforts of the Russian Foreign Minister, who has recently visited Belgrade, to settle the conflict in Kosovo-Metohija. The Russian deputies gave special credit to Primakov for helping halt for four weeks the mechanism of imposing sanctions on Yugoslavia. The delegation leaves for Kosovo-Metohija on Tuesday, to see the situation at first hand and meet with ethnic Albanian representatives, although there are no guarantees at this time that such a meeting will take place. Alexander Shabanov of the Communist Party club in the Duma told to Itar-TASS in Belgrade that there are many crisis regions in the world where much more serious things are going on than in Kosovo-Metohija. He said it is therefore hard to understand why tension surrounding the Kosovo-Metohija problem is being raised artificially out of all proportion. Stressed that the relevant European convention envisages only for cultural autonomy for ethnic minorities, and therefore the demands that ethnic Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija get political autonomy are in violation of international law.

[06] YUGOSLAV HOUSE SPEAKER MEETS WITH RUSSIAN STATE DUMA DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-03-30

Yugoslav Chamber of Citizens (Lower House) Speaker Milomir Minic on Monday headed a parliamentary delegation to talks with a delegation of the Russian State Duma (Lower House), the Yugoslav Parliament said in a statement. The Russian multi-party delegation, headed by Deputy Speaker Arthur Nikolaievich Chilingarov, is paying a several-day visit to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as guest of the Yugoslav Federal Assembly (Parliament).

Minic expressed high appreciation of the Russian State Duma's principled and friendly attitude to and understanding for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its people. He informed the guests about the organisation of work of the Yugoslav Parliament, reforms of the economic system and Yugoslavia's efforts to join international economic, financial and other bodies on an equal footing. The Russian parliamentarians inquired particularly about the situation in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's province of Kosovo-Metohija. Minic stressed that Kosovo-Metohija is Serbia's internal affair that can be resolved only inside Serbia by political methods, with respect for the highest international standards for the protection of minority rights. He explained in detail the Serbian Government's measures and activities for opening a frank, direct and unconditional dialogue with the Province's ethnic Albanian party leaders, which the latter have been ignoring despite repeated invitations. He stressed that there is no danger to peace in the region, as is being claimed in some quarters out of a desire to internationalise this problem or in order to justify putting pressure on Yugoslavia.

He said that friendly Russia's representatives to the U.N. Security Council and other international fora are expected to condemn the secession attempt and to work for settling all questions in Kosovo-Metohija by political dialogue which the Serbian Government has already initiated. He further said he was sure that the Russian representatives to the Security Council would exercise their power of veto if a resolution against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were put on the agenda, and would not permit the violation of the basic principles set down in the U.N. Charter of non- interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. The Russian parliamentarians emphasised that the State Duma condemns terrorism and separatism and gives full support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia and of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They stressed that the efforts of some states to internationalise this issue and to impose sanctions on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia indicate that certain forces are loath to renounce their plans to destabilise the Balkans and threaten the integrity of Serbia and Yugoslavia. They agreed with the position that all questions oustanding can be settled only by political means, with respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia and Yugoslavia and for the highest international standards on minority rights. The two sides exchanged views also on ways and means of promoting and intensifying inter-parliamentary cooperation, the statement said.

[07] VICE PRIME MINISTER DJUNIC ADRESSES 5TH SALONIKA FORUM

Tanjug, 1998-03-30

Federal Vice Prime Minister Danko Djunic adressed on Monday the 5th Salonika Forum, entiteled "Southeast Europe as a Developping Market", the Federal Information Secretariat has said. Djunic spoke on how to overcome problems and obstacles of regional economic cooperation. Referring to the economic situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), Djunic informed the participants of the Forum about the basic aims and progress of economic reforms in FRY, with an assessment of the negative influence of the sanctions and their counter effects. Yugoslavia is interested in and ready for a significant promotion of economic cooperation with countries of the region and fully supports the European Union's Royaumont initiative and the U.S. SECI initiative, but not even these initiatives can realize the set goals without the full and equal participation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Djunic said.

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