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Serbia Today 96-03-21
From: ddc@nyquist.bellcore.com (D.D. Chukurov)
21 March 1996
In This Edition
TESTIMONIES BY FORMER INMATES
BADINTER'S MISTAKE
CONTENTS
[01] MILOSEVIC - KEY FIGURE IN THE PEACE PROCESS
[02] THE SARAJEVO AGREEMENT HAS BEEN BETRAYED IN SARAJEVO
[03] ARMS WILL NOT HELP BOSNIA
[04] TESTIMONIES BY FORMER INMATES
[05] CRIMES AGAINST SERBS
[06] ALBRIGHT: KOSOVO CAN NOT BE GIVEN INDEPENDENCE
[07] BADINTER'S MISTAKE
[01] MILOSEVIC - KEY FIGURE IN THE PEACE PROCESS
Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has become the key figure
in the peace process in Bosnia, because it has been undeniably
confirmed that peace in the region would be impossible - states
a broadcast of the Hungarian Radio, dedicated to the Geneva
meeting of the Dayton Agreement. One of the best know Hungarian
military experts - Gyerg Nogrady, stressed in the commentary
that this is why the current firm political position assumed by
Hungary is in the interest of all - the West included, and
especially the United States. Speaking about the Hague Tribunal,
Mr. Nogrody underscored that it involves an agreement between
the major powers, leading to the conclusion that the activities
of this court are not based on legal and juridical norms.
(Politika Ekspres, March 21, 1996)
[02] THE SARAJEVO AGREEMENT HAS BEEN BETRAYED IN SARAJEVO
French Foreign Minister Herves de Charret warned the
international community about the unfavorable course of events
in Bosnia and Herzegovina and strongly condemned the incidents
in Sarajevo. "There is no reason to rejoice. I am particularly
concerned because the reality is not what it should be. This is
the last phase of ethnic cleansing and disengagement and I am
appalled." - Mr. De Charret said. After a long official silence
about the events in Bosnia, the French Government voiced its
stands through Mr. Charret's statement to prompt the realization
of the Dayton Agreement, because Sarajevo marks the defeat of
its spirit and strategic objective - namely to preserve
multi-ethnic Bosnia. (Politika, March 21, 1996)
[03] ARMS WILL NOT HELP BOSNIA
Arming the Bosnian Moslems will only deteriorate the situation
in Bosnia and will bring nothing good - states yesterday's
Financial Times, commenting the American initiative to
strengthen militarily the Sarajevo Government. American
clarifications -i.e. that the arming will contribute to the
stabilization of the situation in Bosnia - are being dismissed
by the European allies, states the same newspaper adding that
they are right because arms cannot bring stability, but will
lather lead Bosnia to the brink of the final catastrophe.
Stabilization can be secured only through understanding and
reconstruction of Bosnia, and the American initiative is -
according to the Financial Times - the culmination of absurdity
of the Bosnian policy pursued by western allies. (Borba, March
21, 1996)
[04] TESTIMONIES BY FORMER INMATES
The International Tribunal for crimes of war committed in former
Yugoslavia revealed that Zdravko Mucic and Zejnel Delalic
(arrested in Vienna and Munich) are suspected of crimes against
Serbs. Should they be indicted, they will be the first culprits
to be tried before the Tribunal for crimes against Serbs. The
State Committee for Crimes of War of the Republic of Srpska,
revealed new evidence on the murders of Serbs in the
concentration camp in Celebic (near the town of Konjic) where
Zdravko Mucic was commander in 1992. After the forcible eviction
of Serbs from the village of Celebic (in April 1992), the former
Yugoslav People's Army garrison was transformed into one of the
worst camps for Serbs in former Bosnia and Herzegovina, where at
least 30 persons have been killed. The horrendous monstrosities
and tortures inflicted upon the Serbs have been revealed by 20
former camp inmates. They affirm that Alija Izetbegovic
personally inspected the camp on two occasions. According to the
report prepared by the same State Committee the greatest
responsibility for the genocide against Serbs in Konjic County
falls upon the local Croatian-Moslem authorities. (Politika,
March 21, 1996)
[05] CRIMES AGAINST SERBS
In spite of a delay, the crimes committed by Moslems and Croats
against the Serbs during the war in Bosnia are slowly being
unveiled - states the reputable Italian daily "Il Corriere della
Sera" quoting the book of testimonies "Chronicles of Our
Graveyards" authored by Serbian writer Milivoje Ivancevic. Mr.
Ivancevic gathered systematic data on over 10.000 crimes
committed by Moslems and Croats against the Serbian civilians -
states Mr. Renzo Cianfanelli in an extensive report from
Belgrade entitled "We the Serbs - Victims of Violence". The
propaganda war accompanied by the cynicism of the horrors of
war, accused and indicted the Serbs - remarks the Italian
journalist and further quotes Ivancevic: "How can one explain
the fact that the reports on Serbian crimes and Serbian ethnic
cleansing were given full global coverage, whilst similar
reports on crimes committed by Moslems and Croats made by the
Serbian side quickly disappeared?" (Vecernje Novosti, March 21,
1996)
[06] ALBRIGHT: KOSOVO CAN NOT BE GIVEN INDEPENDENCE
US Ambassador to the UN - Ms. Madleine Albright stated at a
press conference held yesterday evening at the Palace of Nations
in Geneva that the American position concerning Kosovo and
Metohija is quite clear - Kosovo can not be granted independence
but only autonomy. However. Ms. Albright did not specify what
kind of autonomy she had in mind. She also used the occasion to
reiterate once again her concern for the state of human rights
in Kosovo, without giving a single example of infringement of
these rights. The United States insist that human rights be
respected in Kosovo according to the highest international
standards - remarked Ms. Albright, adding that this is one of
the conditions for "complete reintegration of FR Yugoslavia in
the most important international institutions." (Politika, March
21, 1996)
[07] BADINTER'S MISTAKE
Had the UN General Assembly listened or wanted to listen to the
opinion of its own legal experts in autumn 1992, it probably
would not have adopted "Resolution 47/1" which suspended the
right of FR Yugoslavia to take part in the activities of the
General Assembly and other UN bodies, although it was one of the
founders of the world organization.
This is the conclusion of the Compilation of legal opinions and
interpretations, circulated two days ago in the UN Building on
East River. The document, authored by prominent legal counselors
of the UN Secretary General, offers a stand completely different
from the conclusion reached by the Badinter Commission, namely
that the continuity of FR Yugoslavia can not be questioned, just
like the continuity of Russia which continues to exist - being a
previous state - with all the legal and sovereign attributes of
former Soviet Union. "The same stand can be applied to FR
Yugoslavia - states one of the legal interpretations contained
in the Compilation. FR Yugoslavia continues to exist as a
previous state from which parts of the territories of SFR
Yugoslavia have seceded."
Consequently, the situation is identical to that of the Russian
Federation which continued to exist as a previous state assuming
all its treaty rights and obligations. The only difference
between the two cases - omitted in the Compilation - is that
given centers of power applied different standards (for specific
reasons) against Yugoslavia, even though the were far from being
legal or logical.
According to the interpretations given by the UN experts, FR
Yugoslavia is not one of the "successors" of SFR Yugoslavia, but
rather the "previous state", which continues to exist, only with
different borders, reduced territory and somewhat altered name.
Why did the General Assembly adopt the aforementioned resolution
which denied the continuity of FR Yugoslavia?
Legal experts did not consider the political background of the
issue, which was obviously treated with haste and under the
pressure of given centers of power, but tried however to
mitigate as much as possible the effect of the Resolution,
stressing that it merely limited the activities of Yugoslavia in
the UN bodies, but that it should not be considered "...as an
indicator that FR Yugoslavia can not be considered a preceding
country." (TANJUG, March 21, 1996)
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