Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-10-16

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SOLANA

[02] SYMPOSIUM ON RUSSIA'S ROLE IN BALKANS OPENS IN BELGRADE

[03] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES SHEIMAN

[04] TEMPORARY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETS IN KOSOVSKA MITROVICA

[05] HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN KOSMET IS RETURNING TO NORMAL

[06] JORDANIAN DAILY PUBLISHES LENGTHY ARTICLE ON KOSOVO-METOHIJA

[07] CHINA WELCOMES BELGRADE ACCORDS

[08] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER EXPECTS NEW UN RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO

[09] IVANOV: SOLUTION FOR KOSMET SOLELY THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS

[10] VEDRINE: PAVED WAY TO POLITICAL SOLUTION

[11] BUS OPERATING ON BELGRADE-PEC LINE REROUTED DUE TO TERRORIST ATTACKS

[12] CONTACT GROUP MEETING ON KOSMET OPENS IN PARIS

[13] SOLANA: AGREEMENTS ARE CHANCE FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTION

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SOLANA

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic Thursday evening received NATO Sec retary-General Javier Solana and Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Wes ley Clark and their Yugoslav hosts Defense Minister Pavle Bulatovic and C hief of General Staff Gen. Momcilo Perisic. The talk focused on issues o f interest pertaining to the implementation of the accord on verification of the development of the situation in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province. Taking part in the talk were also Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Belgrade Richard Miles and Spanish Ambassador to Yugoslavia Joaquin Perez Gomez.

[02] SYMPOSIUM ON RUSSIA'S ROLE IN BALKANS OPENS IN BELGRADE

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

Russia's place and role in the Balkans have always had a historical and crucial importance for our country and the entire region, Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Zlatan Kikic said on Thursday. Speaking at the opening of a two-day international symposium on Russia's place and role in the B alkans, Kikic said that the historical friendship of Russia and the Russi an people towards Serbia and Yugoslavia had been proved again at a time o f unfounded pressure on Yugoslavia, the pressure which was not contributi ng to peace, security or cooperation in the region. I am certain that th is gathering will help clarify and review Russia's role in the Balkans an d consolidate friendship and cooperation between our states and nations a nd peace and security in the region, Kikic said and added that bilateral relations between Serbia and Yugoslavia had always been close and friendl y. Serbian Science and Technology Minister Branislav Ivkovic said that t he gathering was held at the right time in view of developments in Kosovo and Metohija, their scope and intensity, media campaign and manipulation s from the outside. The stands of the Russian government and President B oris Yeltsin have strongly contributed to positive developments in Kosovo and Metohija, Ivkovic said and added that Russia's policy in the Balkans would certainly have a better effect on the Russian people and Yugoslav citizens if it was accompanied by an adequate level of economic cooperati on. By reaching an agreement which preserves the dignity of our people, Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic won the most important support of S erbia's citizens, which is reflected primarily in an unparalleled unity o f deputies -- representatives of all citizens -- in the republican and fe deral parliaments, Ivkovic said.

Russian Embassy representative, minister-advisor Yakov Gerasimov, said t hat "peace and stability in the Balkans" were among the basic goals of Ru ssia's strategic policy and that the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Kosovo and Metohija had been achieved also through great efforts invested by his country. Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts History Department Secretary Vasilije Krestic said that this topic had long attracted the a ttention of experts from Russia, Serbia and other countries. "A strong R ussia is always useful to Serbia and when Russia is weak, it is detriment al both to its interests in the Balkans and to Serbia," Krestic said. "By protecting us, Russia is protecting itself, its survival and its future, " he said.

[03] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES SHEIMAN

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received representatives of a stat e- parliamentary delegation of Belarus, headed by Victor Vladimirovich She iman, in Belgrade on Thursday. The visitors presented to President Milos evic a personal message from President Lukashenko, which expresses suppor t to the policy of peace of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, its sover eignty and territorial integrity, as well as solidarity with the people o f this country. Expressing his thanks for the message, President Milosev ic said he was confident the visit by the Belarus delegation would contri bute to the further strengthening of friendship and mutual undertanding o f their peoples and that it would stimulate even more intensive cooperati on between the two countries. Presidents Milomir Minic of the Chamber of Citizens and Srdja Bozovic of the Chamber of Republics of the Yugoslav p arliament also took part in the talks, as well as Belarus Ambassador to Y ugoslavia Valeri Brilyev.

[04] TEMPORARY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETS IN KOSOVSKA MITROVICA

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

Kosovo and Metohija Temporary Executive Council President Zoran Andjelkov ic held a meeting in Kosovska Mitrovica on Thursday with presidents of mu nicipal assemblies of the district of Kosovska Mitrovica, the information secretariat of the southern Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija (Kos met) said. The meeting was attended also by Yugoslav Deputy Premier Niko la Sainovic, Kosmet socialists President Vojislav Zivkovic, representativ es of the Yugoslav Army and of the Serbian interior ministry. Andjelkovi c said the reached Agreement was confirmation of the policy practiced by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, and which was in the interest of t he people, peace and the affirmation of ethnic communities and all citize ns who live in the territory of Kosmet. This policy has proven that it i s in the interest of the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which also co nfirms the principle that all problems are settled peacefully, Andjelkovi c said. "Today's meeting is aimed at concretely working out all activiti es in connection with the settlement of the elementary vital issues, such as provision of the basic articles for the population, raising the stand ard of living, organizing regular transportation, regular health protecti on, and securing fuel for all educational and child institutions," Andjel kovic said. Andjelkovic said 100 humanitarian-distribution centers had b een opened in places where local security was functioning well and in an organized manner, and which he saod was in the interest of all citizens, regardless of national or religious affiliation, the statement said.

[05] HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN KOSMET IS RETURNING TO NORMAL

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

The humanitarian situation in Kosovo and Metohija is returning to normal and the provicial Red Cross is preparing plans for the winter to enable it to help all who are threatened, said a session of the Serbian Red Cros s board held in Pristina on Thursday. Since the start of the conflict in Kosovo and Metohija in March 1998, the provincial Red Cross distributed a total of 2,600 tons of humanitarian aid to more than 100,000 citizens of all nationalities, it was said.

"In only four days of September, from the 4th to the 8th, the Red Cross of Kosovo and Metohija, with the aid of the Yugoslav Red Cross, distribut ed from 11 centres over 230 tons of food out of the federal reserves and almost 30 tons of food, personal hygiene kits, clothing, footwear, beds, mattresses and other necessary items to the threatened population," the p resident of the provincial Red Cross, Dr. Bora Moracic, has said. The Ko sovo and Metohija Red Cross also supplied soup kitchens with 600 tons of food (flour, cooking oil, sugar and different kinds of pasta) for the soc ially most threatened population, both Serbs and ethnic Albanians, Dr. Mo racic said. He set out that, in comparison, in the past six months, three international humanitarian organizations: the U.S. organization for dire ct child relief, Doctors of the World, and the catholic church, all impor ted 3,000 tons of different types of humanitarian aid and distributed it, either directly or through the Mother Theresa organization, solely to th e ethnic Albanian population. "Due to the activities of ethnic Albanian terrorists in 24 Serb villages in the Decani district and in 48 Serb vill ages in the Djakovica district, there are no more Serb living there," Dr. Moracic said. Underscoring that cooperation with the International Fede ration of the Societies of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent (IFRC) and with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had been satisfa ctory, Dr. Moracic recalled that the issue of missing persons remains the biggest problem. The provincial Red Cross has reported the disappearenc e of 120 Serbs, but so far ICRC has been unable to find out anything abou t them despite its direct contacts with the leaders of the ethnic Albania n terrorists, Dr. Moracic set out. The session in Pristina said that the humanitarian outpatient clinic and pharmacy, as services of the provinci al Red Cross, were very active in the field over the past few months by h elping both the Serb and the ethnic Albanian populations. The overall as sessment is that these two services are the best possible proof of the im partiality and universal activities of the Red Cross because an increasin g number of ethnic Albanians are turning to them for help. Assistant dir ector of the Pristina Health Care Institute, Dr. Milan Parlic, said that this institution has good cooperation with UNICEF, the World Health Organ ization, and the Mother Theresa organization in securing health care for the population in the entire territory of Kosmet.

"I am in contact with the international humanitarian organizations and w ith the Mother Theresa organization and, according to our and their data, there is no humanitarian catastrophe," he added.

"The epidemiological and hygienic situation is much the same as in the p revious years, but the situation is not alarming," Dr. Parlic said. The Operative Headquarters of the provincial Red Cross, came up with a propos al for making a special program for the faster and more efficient operati on in view of the coming winter.

[06] JORDANIAN DAILY PUBLISHES LENGTHY ARTICLE ON KOSOVO-METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

The renowned Jordanian daily The Jordan Times on Thursday published a le ngthy article by Yugoslav Charge d'Affaires in Jordan Oliver Potezica, sh edding light on different manipulations with the situation in Kosovo and Metohija carried out by the so-called global media. The text said that t here had never been a humanitarian disaster or so-called ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and Metohija. The article said that many members of the inter national community had overnight forgotten about alleged crimes against e thnic Albanian civilians, which were abused for terrible pressure on Yugo slavia and the Serbian people. It is obvious that the alleged crimes can never be proved because they have never taken place. It was said that si nce the outbreak of the crisis in Kosovo and Metohija, Yugoslavia had cla imed and presented proof that a political solution to the problem had no alternative and that it could be achieved only through unconditional talk s. The U.N. Security Council has called on ethnic Albanian political par ty representatives in Kosovo and Metohija to accept unconditional talks a nd condemn terrorism, the article said.

[07] CHINA WELCOMES BELGRADE ACCORDS

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

China Thursday welcomed the accords on a peaceful political resolution o f the Kosovo and Metohija issue, reached in the talks between Yugoslav Pr esident Slobodan Milosevic and U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke. "China welc omes the positive develoment of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija," Ch inese Foreign Ministry spokesman Tang Guichiang told a regular news confe rence. He voiced hope that "the interested sides will resolve problems i n a constructive and adequate manner." China has insisted since the outb reak of tensions in Serbia's southern province that problems can be resol ved solely through political talks, coupled with respect for the sovereig nty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia and the securing of the legit imate rights and interests of all nationalities in the province. "China has throughout urged a political resolution of problems in Kosovo and Met ohija and has invested efforts to that end," spokesman Tang told the pres s. He said Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan had recently sent oral messages to the U.N. Secretary-General and the chief diplomats of the Uni ted States, France, Russia and Great Britain, calling for effective measu res for a political solution to the Kosovo and Metohija issue and the ave rting of the use of force in the region.

The spokesman said that Minister Tang had presented China's principled p osition also to Yugoslav ambassador in Beijing Slobodan Unkovic. Chinese media Thursday reported the wide support lent by the Yugoslav public, st ate authorities and political parties to the reached accord on Kosovo and Metohija, which they described as "an important step towards stability a nd peace" in the province. "All Segments of Yugoslav Society Back the Ac cord, " the leading Chinese daily Renmin Ribao set out in the headline.

[08] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER EXPECTS NEW UN RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Thursday at a press conference in Paris that the UN Security Council would adopt another resolution on Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija next week, regarding the im plementation of the accord reached last Tuesday in Belgrade by Yugoslav P resident Slobodan Milosevic and UN envoy Richard Holbrooke. An important step has been taken towards a peaceful solution of the Kosovo-Metihija p roblem, Ivanov said after a ministerial meeting of the Contact Group in P aris. Ivanon pointed out that all Contact Group member-states had expres sed their support to the OSCE verification mission in Kosovo-Metohija. F rench Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine agreed with Ivanov's statement at t he press conference. Ivanov confirmed that Russia would take part in the OSCE unarmed civilian mission on the ground, and added that Russia would consider later its participation in aerial surveillance mission by non-c ombat NATO aircraft. Ivanov reiterated Russia's firm and clear stance th at Security Council resolutions were binding for all, both for the Belgra de authorities and the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija. The minister once again opposed any use of force as a means for resolving the Kosovo- Metohija crisis and noted that any attempt at accelerating things by mili tary actions would only have negative consequences for the entire Balkan region. Ivanov described as very constructive his meeting Thursday with h is counterparts from France, Germany, the US, Britain and Italy. Vedrine made a similar assesment of the Contact Group meeting, adding it was hel d in an atmosphere of cooperation. Some participants however noted that differences and disagreements had once again characterized the meeting, e specially as regards the modalities of implementing the Belgrade accord t o be included in the expected Security Council resolution. At the Contac t Group meeting, Ivanov opposed the idea that the new Security Council re solution should include a clause on using force in case of non-compliance with the Belgrade accord, the same sources said.

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright did not attend the Paris meetin g as she was taking part in the Israeli-Palestinian summit in Washington. She was represented by her assistant Talbot.

[09] IVANOV: SOLUTION FOR KOSMET SOLELY THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has said that all participants of T hursday's Contact Group meeting in Paris urged the resolution of the Koso vo problem solely through peaceful means. "The results of today's Contac t Group meeting mark another serious step in the regulation of the Kosovo crisis," Itar-Tass quoted Ivanov as saying after the meeting. Ivanov un derscored that discussed were only peaceful, political means for regulati ng the Kosmet crisis with the preservation of Yugoslavia's territorial in tegrity. Announcing that President Boris Yeltsin had entrusted him with the coordination of all issues refering to Kosovo, Ivanov said: "The pres ident has set a clear task, the peaceful regulation of the situation in K osovo, and this task is being carried out." Ivanov described as very imp ortant that in Paris all Contact Group members expressed readiness to coo perate with the OSCE verification mission and to support it. He said tha t such a mission was being set up for the first time in history and its s uccess in the regulation of the problems in Kosovo will contribute to the overall strengthening of the future system of European security. Ivanov stated that, from the very start, Russia had clearly and in principle ta ken the stand that U.N. Security Council resolutions equally refer to Bel grade and to Pristina and that all attempts to force the resolution of th e crisis through force can only result in the most undesirable consequenc es for the Balkans and the entire world. "We are satisfied that our part ners have practically joined the Russian viewpoint," Ivanov said. Regard ing NATO's stepped up combat readiness, Ivanov said he believed that the Alliance would contribute in the best way to the resolution of the Kosmet crisis by abolishing its decisions.

Ivanov also said that now forthcoming are talks on air verification of c ompliance with the agreement on Kosovo and Metohija and expressed Russian 's readiness to consider its participation in this after it is agreed.

[10] VEDRINE: PAVED WAY TO POLITICAL SOLUTION

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said in Paris on Thursday that th e agreement between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke paved the way to a political solution of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija (Kosmet). The Contact Group will ask the United N ations Security Council to adopt a new resolution which will confirm the peace accord reached in Belgrade on Tuesday, Vedrine said. Briefing repo rters about today's ministerial meeting of the Contact Group in Paris, Ve drine said evident progress in Kosovo had been noted. The group was in session for three and a half hours, instead of the planned two. In addit ion to Vedrine, and foreign ministers Igor Ivanov of Russia, Klaus Kinkel of Germany, Lamberto Dini of Italy, Robin Cook of Great Britain, and Ass istant U.S. Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, the meeting was also atten ded by Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairma n, Polish Minister Bronislaw Geremek, and Wolfgang Schiessel on behalf of the European Union, the foreign minister of Austria which currently chai rs the union. Vedrine said that the Contact Group meeting had given full support to the OSCE mission in Kosmet and the soonest possible signing o f the agreemnet on the start of its work. Vedrine announced that OSCE Ch airman Geremek would be in Belgrade already on Friday to sign the agreeme nt, and that NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana would also go to Belgra de for this purpose.

With the Contact Group assessment that there has been visible progress i n Kosovo in the last week, Vedrine practically pushed the threats of an i ntervention from the air into the background. On this occasion Vedrine a gain stressed that it was necessary that the Vontact Group remain united, and that "we shall remain united, demanding and vigilant," in following further developments in Kosmet. Vedrine also said the participants in to day's meeting had agreed that OSCE Chairman Geremek can demand an urgent meeting of the Contact Group whenever he felt the situation in the field so demanded.

[11] BUS OPERATING ON BELGRADE-PEC LINE REROUTED DUE TO TERRORIST ATTACKS

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

A bus operating on the Belgrade-Pec line was sent back from the village of Gornja Klina near Srbica in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo a nd Metohija province Thursday evening due to several-hour ethnic Albanian terrorist attack on Serbian police check points on the road to Klina, lo cal authorities in Srbica told Tanjug. The bus was rerouted to Kosovska Mitrovica and is to reach the Pec via Rozaje in Montenegro and the Kula p ass on Mt. Mokra Gora in western Serbia. There were some 30 passengers o n the bus. Those bound for Serb villages of Banje and Suvo Grlo east of S rbica stayed the night in Kosovska Mitrovica.

[12] CONTACT GROUP MEETING ON KOSMET OPENS IN PARIS

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

Contact Group met in the French capital Thursday to discuss elements of the accord on a peaceful political solution to the Kosovo and Metohija cr isis, reached Tuesday by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and U.S. e nvoy Richard Holbrooke. Participating in the meeting are the chief diplo mats of Russia, France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy, Igor Ivanov, Hu bert Vedrine, Klaus Kinkel, Robin Cook and Lamberto Dini, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. The meeting is also attended by OSCE Chairman Bronislaw Geremek and President of the E.U. Council of Minister s Wolfgang Schuessel, the French Foreign Ministry said.

[13] SOLANA: AGREEMENTS ARE CHANCE FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTION

Tanjug, 1998-10-15

NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana told reporters late Thursday that h e had come to Belgrade with his associates to sign an agreement on aerial verification of the situation in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosov o and Metohija province. Solana said that the agreement had been signed with the Yugoslav authorities Thursday evening. We intend to start implementing the agreement soon, said Solana, adding t hat the NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission would be helping stabilize the situation on the ground. He said that the agreements with NATO and the OSCE were just the first step in the settlement of the crisis in Kosovo and Metohija. These agreement s are the chance to solve problems in a peaceful and constructive manner, Solana said.

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