Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-10-12

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONTINUES TALKS WITH HOLBROOKE AND HILL

[02] RUSSIAN MEDIA ON SERBIA'S KOSOVO-METOHIJA CRISIS

[03] MILITARY INTERVENTION DOES NOT RESOLVE CRISIS IN KOSMET

[04] OPEN LETTER TO BILL CLINTON AND TONY BLAIR

[05] RUSSIAN REPRESENTATIVES TO NATO IN MOSCOW FOR CONSULTATIONS

[06] IVASHOV: RUSSIA WILL IGNORE ARMS BAN ON YUGOSLAVIA

[07] RAKHMANIN: BETTER PROSPECTS FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KOSOVO ISSUE

[08] MOSCOW MAYOR LYZKHOV SAYS RUSSIA OBLIGED TO SUPPORT YUGOSLAVIA

[09] RETIRED U.S. COL. BEAGLER VISITS PRISTINA

[10] IVANOV: NATO STRIKE CAN UNDERMINE WORLD'S LEGAL FUNDAMENTALS

[11] MINISTER VUCIC: BASIC AIM OF GOVERNMENT DECREE IS TO PROTECT THE STATE

[12] GLIGOROV: KOSOVO CRISIS MUST BE SETTLED PEACEFULLY

[13] YUGOSLAV DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS NO GROUNDS FOR AIR STRIKES

[14] HOLBROOKE: NO CHANGE IN SITUATION SINCE FRIDAY

[15] NEW CONTRIBUTION TO REGIONAL COOPERATION

[16] YUGOSLAV, TURKISH PREMIERS MEET

[17] DELEGATIONS ARRIVE IN TURKEY FOR SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN SUMMIT

[18] AHEAD OF SUMMIT OF COUNTRIES OF SOUTHEAST EUROPE

[19] HOLBROOKE LEAVES TO MEET WITH RUGOVA

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONTINUES TALKS WITH HOLBROOKE AND HILL

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic continued on Friday evening ta lks with the U.S. team headed by special envoys for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, ambassadors Richard Holbrooke and Christopher Hill. Also pres ent were Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, Federal Foreign Minister Zivadin Jov anovic and the charge d'affaires at the U.S. embassy in Belgrade, Ambassador Ric hard Miles.

[02] RUSSIAN MEDIA ON SERBIA'S KOSOVO-METOHIJA CRISIS

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

Most major Moscow dailies write on Saturday that the West and NATO h ave worked themselves into an impasse over the crisis around the Yugoslav rep ublic of Serbia's Kosovo-Metohija province and are now frantically seeking a wa y out. None of the newspapers are, however, willing to predict what methods the West will employ to break the impasse, and some insist that great caution is s till necessary. According to the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper, the Americans, albeit not the State Department, are very much aware that belligerent statements , if not acted upon, cause their authors to lose credibility and appear ridiculous . In this context, it quotes U.S. Senator Gordon Smith as saying that, with al l due respect, it is time for the Americans to either start shooting or shut up . A Russian television report from Belgrade showed peaceful streets late on F riday, with the comment that the Yugoslavs are apparently not afraid, but are ti red of the uncertainty. Most commentators see an evident lack of unity within NATO itself over the usefulness or otherwise of an attack on Yugoslavia. This disunity among the partners is regarded as the main reason for Washington's vacill ations.

Another reason, of course, is Russia's firmness, so that the Kommers ant Daily writes that the danger of a military strike against Yugoslavia was practically removed at Friday's meeting of the Contact group in London. I n substantiation, it writes that "Russia's diplomatic victory" was admitted in London even by U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who had only a day before strenuously urged air raids on the Serbs. Congratulating her Russi an colleague on his victory, Albright is quoted by the Kommersant Daily as g iving high marks to Russia's efforts for a peaceful settlement of the Kosovo-Me tohija problem. Last, but not least, there is the powerful deterrent of China's determined opposition to foreign military intervention in Kosovo-Metohija

According to Itar-TASS writing from Beijing, China has expressed firm opp osition to a foreign military intervention in Kosovo-Metohija and has warned of t he serious consequences that such an act on the part of NATO might have.

[03] MILITARY INTERVENTION DOES NOT RESOLVE CRISIS IN KOSMET

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

The crisis in Kosovo and Metohija cannot be resolved by airstrikes on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), Vienna daily Standard has said. A NATO military intervention can be carried out with the excuse of the so- called punishing of Serbia for its alleged repressive policy in Kosmet, but a NA TO military intervention cannot resolve the problem in Serbia's southern pro vince, rather it can only have an opposite effect, the daily said. The first mis sile launched on Serbia would annul all successes so far of the American, Euro pean and Russian diplomacies in the resolution of the crisis in Kosovo and Metohij a, Standard said and recalled that there has been no fighting in this provin ce for the past week.

Humanitarian organizations and international monitors have been allo wed free access to all parts of the province.

The Serbian government has sent aid to ethnic Albanian refugees and is ready to open a dialogue with the political leaders of the ethnic Albania ns in Kosovo and Metohija about the province's future status, Standard said.

[04] OPEN LETTER TO BILL CLINTON AND TONY BLAIR

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

President Borislav Mikelic of the Committee for the Protection of th e Rights and Interests of Displaced Persons and Return to Native Lands sent an open letter to United States President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, asking them where they plan to banish refugee and expelled Serbs. Mikelic, former prime minister of the once Serb state in Croatia, the Republic of Serb Krajina, said in the letter that the United States and Great Britain are threatening the home state of Serbia with a military intervention, while they remained silent just over three years ago when Croatia expelled over 250, 000 Serbs from their ancestral lands, destroyed and plundered their substanti al private property, and liquidated several thousand innocents. "You did not react then, Gentlemen, in the name of world politics, to protect our people thr ough the NATO pact and punish the perpetrators of this crime," he said. Mikelic to ld Clinton and Blair that "by announcing a military intervention against Serbia....instead of taking the side of the struggle against terrorism, a s you do in your own states, you extend full support to ethnic Albanian bandits in Kosovo and Metohija to continue killing innocent civilians, including pol icemen and soldiers who are protecting those citizens and the borders of their s tate."

Mikelic said he saw they were allegedly concerned over some "humanit arian disaster" in Kosovo and Metohija, after months of unrests caused by the v ery ethnic Albanian terrorists. However, even after three full years, "you ar e not concerned about the fate of Serbs from Krajina - how they live, when Croa tia will return their private property or provide compensation, and what status wi ll the international community offer to them to return to their ancestral lands in a dignified manner." It is therefore evident that international double stan dards and political hypocrisy are always present when Serbs are concerned, Mike lic concluded. Mikelic asked Clinton and Blair where they think refugees and expelled Serbs from Croatia could go after a possible military intervention, if th ey economically exhaust even further the Serbs' native state, "when you did not find a solution for us even in the Dayton accords." Refugee and expelled Serbs from Croatia have now.

[05] RUSSIAN REPRESENTATIVES TO NATO IN MOSCOW FOR CONSULTATIONS

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

Russia on Sunday recalled its standing representatives to NATO to Mo scow for consultations, the ITAR-TAS Russian news agency said, quoting diploma tic sources. The report said permanent representative to NATO in Ambassador S ergei Kislyak and chief military representative Gen. Victor Zavarzin were in Mo scow with an indefinite date for their return to Brussels. The two officials a ttended a joint session of the standing council Russia-NATO on Friday, where they expressed Russia's strong opposition to a military intervention by the we stern alliance in Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province. Russia's stand on the problem of Kosovo and Metohija and NATO's threats was expressed clearly late Satu rday by Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, who warned western countries tha t Russia would reconsider its relations with NATO in the event of an attack on Yug oslavia. Primakov also said Russia would use its right of veto in case of a debate at the United Nations Security Council aimed at securing approval for such an at tack. Russian representatives are in Brussels in keeping with the Russia-NATO a greement signed in May 1997 aimed at cooperation and preserving stability and peac e in the world. The Duma has warned on several occasions that it would demand an i mmediate termination of the Russia-NATO agreement in the event of an attack on Yug oslavia, and the Russian parliament's lower house President Gennady Seleznyov has announced that it can be said already at this time that the document is n ot working.

[06] IVASHOV: RUSSIA WILL IGNORE ARMS BAN ON YUGOSLAVIA

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

In case of NATO air strikes against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Russia will ignore the international ban on arms deliveries to Belgrade, according to a ranking Russian defence ministry official on Saturday. Hea d of the Ministry's main directorate for International Military Cooperation Genera l Leonid Ivashov told NTV television that, in that case, "Russia will have every r ight to develop full scale military cooperation with the Federal Republic of Yugo slavia."

"If the norms of international law are violated, then the March 1998 embargo will also cease to exist for us," he said, speaking in this eveni ng's NTV news programme. Ivashov said that the United States and the western milit ary alliance had provoked the conflict in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo-Metohija province in order to create a situation where they could dictate in the Balkans. "From the very beginning of the crisis in Kosovo and sepa ratist tendencies, all separatist leaders received Western support, NATO's suppo rt," he said. He said that there had been tacit consent to arms deliveries to the separatists and that Russian intelligence had proof that arms had practic ally been forced on the people in Kosovo-Metohija. And after all this, he said , they want to bomb Yugoslavia. "But why are they doing all this? Do we really h ave such a situation there that it is necessary to blow away everything," he said, adding that "we cannot abandon a fraternal nation in such a situation."

[07] RAKHMANIN: BETTER PROSPECTS FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KOSOVO ISSUE

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin said on Saturd ay that prospects for a political solution to the problem of Kosovo and Metohija were constantly improving, but added that the situation was still complex.

Chances for a political solution are increasing in proportion with t he increasingly evident negative consequences of a possible NATO attack on Yugoslavia, said the official spokesman in a radio broadcast "Echoes of M oscow."

He said today's ambassadorial meeting of the NATO Council showed the re was increasingly stronger emphasis on a political settlement of the Kosovo pr oblem, but that the danger of the use of force against Yugoslavia has not passed yet. Russian representatives in NATO took part in Friday's meeting of the join standing council Russia-NATO in Brussels, where they insisted on Moscow's stand that the problem of Kosovo can be settled solely by peaceful means. The R ussian Ambassador to Belgium Sergei Kishlyak said after the mneeting at the NATO General Headquarters that support was felt among NATO representatives to the deci sions of the Contact Group London meeting. Russia's chief military representati ve with NATO, General Victor Zavarzin said at the meeting that Russia urged a pea ceful settlement of this crisis and explained the stand from the military aspec t. He pointed out that bombing would only result in new refugees, destruction a nd casualties, warning them that members of the military must draw conclusio ns which are dictated by common sense and present them to politicians.

[08] MOSCOW MAYOR LYZKHOV SAYS RUSSIA OBLIGED TO SUPPORT YUGOSLAVIA

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzkhov said on Saturday that Russia is obliged to provide full moral support to Yugoslavia in opposing attempts to settle t he problem of Kosovo and Metohija using methods of piracy. Yugoslavia has th e right to settle its own internal affairs, and regarding the problem of Kosovo, it must be settled not by force and piratical methods, but by peaceful means, Luz khov said. The mayor said he believed such methods are much more efficient tha n a military solution when an independent state is concerned. Yugoslavia is a n indepenedent and autonomous country in the global system, and, should it appear necessary to pressure it, that can be done only with the approval of the United Nations, he said. No-one but the United Nations can claim the moral right to military strikes, because that would repudiate the United Nations as an organization which settles problems to preserve peace. The popular Moscow mayor, with his statement, joined a series of prominent Russian politicians who are resolutely declaring themselves these days against a NATO military interv ention in Yugoslavia. The NTV tv network said the problem of Kosovo has become t he key political issue in Russia.

[09] RETIRED U.S. COL. BEAGLER VISITS PRISTINA

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

President Zoran Andjelkovic of the Temporary Executive Council of Ko sovo and Metohoija province and his associates and council member in charge of information Bosko Drobnjak on Saturday held separate meetings in Pristina with retired U.S. Col. Robert Beagler. Col. Beagler said in openly and friendl y talks that he had come to Kosovo and Metohija to see for himself the situation in the field. He said he primarily wanted to provide moral support to Yugoslavia 's efforts to arrive at a peaceful solution, the information secretariat of this southern Serbian province said. Andjelkovic informed the colonel about th e work of the Temporary Executive Council and the efforts made by the Republic o f Serbia to normalize the situation in the province. Andjelkovic said that there h ad been no terrorist activities in 28 of the 29 towns in Kosovo and Metohija, and thus also no anti- terrorist activities. He also said that in 17 of the 29 municipalities in the province there had been no violations of law and or der. Members of all nationalities which live there did their best for life to go on as usual, working for the welfare of their families and their towns, he s aid. The two sides agreed that air strikes were not in keeping with a peacefiul in itiative and that efforts should be aimed at finding a peaceful political solution and lifting all barriers and sanctions against Yugoslavia, like Yugoslavia an d Serbia are doing. Council members Zojnelabedin Kurejs, Faik Jasari and Petrit Ko stari also took part in the talks, the statement said. Col. Beagler then met wi th Drobnjak, who presented in very open and friendly tones a series of concr ete examples of manipulations in western media which ruthlessly, extremely un justly and inhumanly satanize the Serb people, the secretariat statement said. A s an expert in this area, Col. Beagler showed extreme understanding for the pr oblems of Yugoslavia and its citizens, condemning the incorrect behaviour by for eign media and certain centers of power in the international community. Expres sing full solidarity with the stands of Serbia and Yugoslavia and their strugg le for the truth, Col. Beagler pointed out that he would personally and through corresponding non-government organizations do his utmost for United State s citizens to get a more correct and complete picture of the actual situati on in Kosovo and Metohija. Expressing his thanks for the presented documentatio n, Col. Beagler said he was confident truth and justice would triumph in spite of everything, and that the international community would finally change its stand toward Yugoslavia and its people, the secratariat statement said.

[10] IVANOV: NATO STRIKE CAN UNDERMINE WORLD'S LEGAL FUNDAMENTALS

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

Russia's foreign minister warned again on Sunday that NATO's interve ntion in Serbia's Kosovo-Metohija province would undermine the world's legal fundamentals and cause chaos in international relations. "That is very da ngerous because we can enter a phase of international chaos when states solve dif ferences on borders with their methods, the use of force," Foreign Minister Igor I vanov said on Russian state television Channel Two's Zerkalo programme.

Half an hour later, state television Channel One aired another state ment by Ivanov, who said that regional conflicts were smoldering worldwide, wa rning that the world would be in chaos if everybody started solving those probl ems with bombs. Therefore, he said, a NATO military intervention in the Yugoslav r epublic of Serbia's troubled province could cause irreparable damage to the entir e system of international relations which decades of joint efforts had built.

Asked what Russia would do in case of NATO air strikes in Kosovo-Met ohija, Ivanov said "we are considering the issue." "We continue to believe and n ot only to believe but also to do everything to prevent the worst," he stressed. Ivanov's statement on Channel One was shown in a phone-in programme devot ed entirely to Kosovo-Metohija. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma (lower house) Vladimir Lukin and Head of the Defence Ministry's Main Directorate for International Military cooperation Leonid Ivashov also took part in the programme. Leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) Vuk Draskovic was also plugged into the programme from Belgrade.

[11] MINISTER VUCIC: BASIC AIM OF GOVERNMENT DECREE IS TO PROTECT THE STATE

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

Serbian Information Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday evening, commenting the Serbian government's Decree on Special Measures in Conditi ons of Threats of NATO Attaacks, that it is the obligation of all citizens, inst itutions and media to guard the integrity, territorial entirety and sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). The decr ee, which came into force yesterday, secures conditions for supplying the pop ulation with consumer goods and determines measures for preventing black marketee ring. Speaking in a program of the Serbian Radio and Television (RTS), Vucic se t out that in special circumstances, such as the current ones, such decrees are necessary.

"Our basic aim is the protection of the state, of state and national interests and we were not led by any other interests when we adopted this decree," Vucic said. "This is a way to prevent the psychological-propagan da war which some foreign countries have waged against us either by broadcasting their programs or parts of their prorgams on domestic radio and TV stations or by directly or indirectly influencing the editorial concepts of certain medi a companies, especially if this originated from countries which are dirctly threatening to use military force against us," Vucic said.

Responding to a question how the Decree affects the media sphere, as this has caused the biggest polemics, Vucic stated that this part is very shor t and that it primarily contains a general article which says that it is the du ty and obligation of the media to protect and act in keeping with the rights and duties of citizens, to protect the territorial integrity, sovereignty and indepe ndence of the Republic of Serbia and of the FR of Yugoslavia. "Therefore, all me dia are obliged to act in such a way," he noted. "The next article bans the broad casting or taking over parts of programs and programs from foreign media which sp eak against the interests of this country, spread fear, panic or defeatism an d I believe that this is something which affects the readiness of the citizen s of Serbia and FRY to defend their country. I believe that this represents so mething which no- one in this country can oppose, or have any reason to do so. Thi s is the interest of all of us, is the most important thing which we must protect and this is one of the ways to do that," Vucic said. Speaking about the penalties for violating the government Decree, Vucic set out that if any media acts con trary to the preservation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and indepen dence of Serbia and FRY, it will first be warned, and then banned from working, i.e. its means for work will be siezed in keeping with a measure to be taken b y the republican body in charge of the media, in this case the Information Mini stry. Of course, all who are affected in this way, will have the right of appea l to the Serbian government, as well as to instigate proceedings before the Suprem e Court of Serbia, Vucic explained. The freedom of the media has not been threate ned, he said and added that the media can still broadcast and write what and how they want to, but only as long as this is not contrary to the Decree. In this context, Vucic read out a message by the general director of the German radio stat ion Deutsche Welle, notorious, as he said, for its numerous fabrications abou t the events in Kosovo and Metohija primarily, but also about Serbia and FRY. V ucic denied the radio station general director's accusations that the alleged "censorship against the independent media in Serbia reminds of the darkes t period of the cold war and the repression mechanisms employed by totalitarian re gimes." Deutsche Welle itself, however, is one of the least independent media. Vu cic wondered how it can be independent when it is the media of the German gov ernment. Commenting the demand by the Deutsche Welle general director that Serbia guarrantees the free flow of information over its national borders, Vucic wondered: "Why does not Berlin then broadcast programs of the Serbian Rad io and Television (RTS)?"

"If the flow of information is free, why was there no free flow of information abaout the horrible crimes committed by the ethnic Albania te rrorists in Kosovo and Metohija, but only a free flow of information for the fabri cations about the alleged crimes against the ethnic Albanian civilian population in Kosovo and Metohija for which there was no proof except for claims by a H uman Watch activist from the United States, nobody else," Vucic asked. He reca lled that the Voice of America, for example, is solely a political and psychological-propaganda program. "This has nothing to do with the freedo m of the press because they are not spreading information, but conducting a propag anda war against our country on behalf of their governments," he said. Vucic annou nced that the Decree would be lifted when the NATO threats stop.

[12] GLIGOROV: KOSOVO CRISIS MUST BE SETTLED PEACEFULLY

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov on Saturday urged a peaceful sett lement to the Kosovo crisis and warned that a possible military intervention wou ld not be a good solution. In a speech in Kicevo, at the central celebration of Urpising Day of the Macedonian people against fascism, Gligorov said Kosovo was a" chronic problem" which requires a "constructive solution." "A military interventi on by foreign forces in that Serbian province would not be a good solution, bec ause it would cause metastases of instability and conflicts in several regions in Europe," said Gligorov. A political solution of the conflict in Kosovo is of extreme importance for Macedonia itself as well, for its internal stabili ty and its position in the region, Gligorov said, adding that this was why the K osovo crisis must be settled peacefully.

[13] YUGOSLAV DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS NO GROUNDS FOR AIR STRIKES

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

Yugoslavia's defence minister said in the northern city o f Novi Sad on Sunday that there were no grounds for air strikes against Yugoslav ia. "Bombs cannot bring peace, they can only bring conflict, war and instabil ity, not only to (the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's troubled province of) Kosovo-M etohija, but to the Balkan region as well," Minister Pavle Bulatovic told reporter s. Speaking at a ceremony of swearing in Yugoslav army recruits, televised b y Serbian state television, Bulatovic said he was sure nobody wished to or had an interest in lighting the Balkan powder- keg once again. All the efforts of Serbia and Yugoslavia are directed towards a peaceful settlement of the Kosovo-M etohija issue, he stressed.

[14] HOLBROOKE: NO CHANGE IN SITUATION SINCE FRIDAY

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

U.S. special envoy Ambassador Richard Holbrooke said in Pristina on Saturday that no-one wanted bombing or a military action against Yugoslav ia, but added that the entire situation resulting from the developments in Kosovo and Metohija was extremely serious. British Ambassador to Yugoslavia Brian Do nnelly and U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Christopher Hill were in Pristina with Holbrooke. Holbrooke said their objective was to secure respect for the U nited Nations Security Council resolution on Kosovo and Metohija. He said he an d Donnelly would return to Belgrade in the afternoon for another round of t alks with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, and that Ambassador Hill woul d remain in Pristina. Holbrooke in Pristina spoke with Ibrahim Rugova and other representatives of leading political parties of Kosovo Albanians.

[15] NEW CONTRIBUTION TO REGIONAL COOPERATION

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

Foreign ministers Zivadin Jovanovic of Yugoslavia and Ismail Cem of Turkey met in Antalya on Sunday ahead of the second summit of southeast European nations which opens in this Turkish sea resort on Monday. The meeting was devoted to opening consultations on the contents of the closing document of the two- day meeting. Minister Cem welcomed Minister Jovanovic in the host's first mee ting with one of the officials who will attend the summit. Minister Jovanovic said he was confident the conference would be successful and would provide a new quality to cooperation between nations of southeastern Europe. After the meeting, Jovanovic explained there were many issues of common interest for the reg ion, such as promotion of cooperation, understanding, stability and developmen t of countries of the region. Jovanovic said he expected the summit to result in stronger good-neighbor relations and integration processes. He indicated also that it was necessary to remove administrative obstacles to the transit o f people, goods, technology and culture, cooperation on envirnmental protec tion and struggle against organized crime, specifically mentioning drugs, money laundering, and terrorism. Asked by reporters about Turkey's stand on the problem of Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija, Minister Jovanovic said he s aw the role of regional countries in promoting understanding and respect of the elementary principles of the United Nations Charter and Helsinki Final Ac t, and support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of southeastern Euro pean nations. Countries of the region should not in any even interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, but encourage and stimulate cooperation, said Minister Jovanovic.

[16] YUGOSLAV, TURKISH PREMIERS MEET

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic, who is heading a government delegation to a summit of southeast European nations in Antalya, Turkey, met on Sunday with his Turkish opposite number Mesut Yilmaz.

At the first bilateral meeting between the summit host and a head of delegation, both sides declared themselves ready to promote and enrich re gional cooperation at the Antalya summit, which opens on Monday.

Sources close to the Yugoslav delegation said that the Yugoslav dele gation had made some concrete suggestions in this direction. Bulatovic and Yilm az discussed also bilateral relations and cooperation. The Yugoslav delegat ion informed Turkey about the high level of political unity in the Federal Re public of Yugoslavia on the position that the problem of the Yugoslav republic o f Serbia's Kosovo-Metohija province should be settled through dialogue, wit h respect for Yugoslavia's territorial integrity and existing borders. Thi s position, the sources said, was approved by the Turkish side. The Yugosla v delegation will try for the summit to regard Kosovo- Metohija from the poi nt of view of the future as part of Serbia and Yugoslavia and as a multi-ethnic region where there is ethnic tolerance, the sources said.

Yugoslavia respects individual countries' obligations to various integrations, but believes that the region can more easily find a place i n Europe only if it is united, it was said during the meeting. The Turkish minority are loyal and equal citizens of Serbia and Yugoslavi a and have attended all talks with the Serbian government in Kosovo-Metohija, i t was noted. It was also noted that the Turkish minority enjoys all rights in Yugoslavia.

[17] DELEGATIONS ARRIVE IN TURKEY FOR SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN SUMMIT

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic arrived in the southern Turk ish resort of Antalya on Sunday heading a government delegation to a summit o f southeast European nations, opening on Monday. "First, we want to confir m the achievements of the Crete summit, and we are happy to say that the Federa l Republic of Yugoslavia is eager to contribute to the promotion of neighbo urly cooperation among the southeast European nations," Bulatovic said on arri val. He came accompanied by Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic, who als o made a brief statement on arrival at Antalya Airport stressing the importance of the summit to regional cooperation, especially economic. On arrival, Jovano vic met with his Turkish opposite number Ismail Cem for opening consultations abo ut the content of the final document of the two- day summit. Among the other del egation heads to arrive in Antalya on Sunday were Prime Ministers Mesut Yilmaz of Turkey, Radu Vassile of Romania and Branko Crvenkovski of Macedonia. The Albania n delegation is headed by Foreign Minister Paskal Milo. The prime minister s of Greece and Bulgaria, Costas Simitis and Ivan Costov, are due on Monday. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia will attend as observers. The summit wi ll disucss regional cooperation, development prospects, stability, security and the influence of the global economic situation on developments in southeast E urope. It is generally expected that the summit will consolidate the agreements reached at the first summit in Crete a year ago, which had stressed the need for an all-round regional linkage.

[18] AHEAD OF SUMMIT OF COUNTRIES OF SOUTHEAST EUROPE

Tanjug, 1998-10-11

Everything is ready for the opening on Monday of a two-day summit of the heads of state or government of the countries of southeast Europe in Anta lya, Turkey, where the Yugoslav delegation will be headed by Federal Prime Min ister Momir Bulatovic. Apart from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), th e other participants of the summit are Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedon ia and Albania, while Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia will attend as observers.

The Yugoslav delegation, which includes Federal Foreign Minister Ziv adin Jovanovic, is expected to arrive on Sunday afternoon. During the day, Bul atovic is scheduled to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Mesud Yilmaz.

On Monday, Bulatovic will address the first plenary session on regio nal cooperation and the effect of the world economic situation on develpments in southeast Europe. T he other participants of the summit are also expected to arrive in Antalya today - the prime ministers of Greece - Costas Simitis, Bulgaria - Ivan Kostov, Macedonia - Branko Crvenkovski, Romania - Radu Va sile, and Albanian Foreign Minister Pascal Mila. In Antalya it is expected tha t the summit will contribute to the strengthening of trust and cooperation betw een the countries of the region and thus boost the stands stemming from the joint decleration adopted at the summit in Crete last year.

[19] HOLBROOKE LEAVES TO MEET WITH RUGOVA

Tanjug, 1998-10-10

U.S. ambassador Richard Holbrooke ended his morning talks with the representatives of the ethnic Albanian team for negotiations, Fehmi Agani , Ilijaz Kurtesi and Edit Tahiri and went to meet with Ibrahim Rugova. After th e talks with the ethnic Albanian team, which were held in the building of the U.S. Information Centre, Holbrooke reufsed to give a statement to the press sa ying that the foreign reporters had crossed over the line set by the security.

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