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Serbia Today 96-07-30
Serbia Today
30 July 1996
CONTENTS
[01] NEW TELEPHONE EXCHANGE INAUGURATED IN BELGRADE
[02] THE STABILITY OF THE DINAR PRESERVED
[03] HEADING FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH THE WTO
[04] COMMISSIONER MORINA: EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSE OF THE VOTING REFUGEES
[05] FRY AND THE UN TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT ON THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL BELGRADE LIAISON OFFICE
[06] CRIME AND 300 INDICTMENTS
[07] WASHINGTON WANTS IZETBEGOVIC TO REFUSE AID FROM IRAN
[08] TENSION IN LIVNO IS GROWING
[01] NEW TELEPHONE EXCHANGE INAUGURATED IN BELGRADE
The Belgrade telecommunications center has been broadened yesterday
with a modern international communications telephone exchange - one of
the state-of-the-art models. The exchange has been installed in record
time by the renown Swedish company "Ericson". The new exchange can
handle 10.830 initial calls, 6,630 international ones. Congratulating
the Serbian PTT as the investor as well as to the national equipment
manufacturers and installers, Federal Deputy Premier Nikola Sainovic
stressed that the opening of the new international telephone exchange
practically traces the electronic avenue from Subotica to Dimitrovgrad,
relying on optical fibers now generally in use in developed countries.
This represents a major infrastructure advantage, and a link between the
East and the West. Mr. Sainovic also reminded that the flight control
facilities are being modernized, that 15 days ago a contract on the
construction of a gas pipe-line following the same north-south direction
has been signed and that great efforts are being made to improve the
railway network and the power system network. The Deputy Premier also
added that it is very important that domestic cable manufacturers
supplied some 600 kilometers of optical cables and thus demonstrated
that they can make modern supplies and equipment.
(Politika, July 30, 1996)
[02] THE STABILITY OF THE DINAR PRESERVED
At the meeting between Federal Premier Kontic and the two
republican prime ministers, current trends in Yugoslav economy have been
discussed and all the sides agreed that the first semester results are
not as planned but that the situation is still encouraging bearing in
mind that the external environment has not essentially changed.
Particularly encouraging is the fact that the exchange rate of the dinar
has been preserved as well as the relative stability of the prices.
Lamentably the international embargo still does not allow FR Yugoslavia
to rejoin the international trade and financial organizations, and
consequently obstruct its presence on the international markets both in
goods and in capital. This represents the major limiting factor for the
development of the national economy. In the past period, the Federal
Government adopted a number of measures to quickly normalize the
relations with international financial and trade organizations.
(Borba, July 30, 1996)
[03] HEADING FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH THE WTO
Federal Prime minister Dr. Radoje Kontic held a meeting with the
representatives of the competent state bodies and scientific
institutions, to discuss the current issues regarding the normalization
of relations between FR Yugoslavia and the World Trade Organization
(WTO). It has been observed that the normalization constitutes a
strategic objective for FR Yugoslavia, because it will allow an
equitable participation in the global trade flows and also the
multilateral use of the clause of most favored nation in foreign trade.
The preparations for the project that will define the list of Yugoslav
concessions in agriculture, in accordance with the WTO Agreement on
agriculture have also been discussed. Major Yugoslav potentials in the
production of wholesome food have been stressed, and this will be
included as an item on the list of prospective concessions, in the
respect of international standards.
(Borba, July 30, 1996)
[04] COMMISSIONER MORINA: EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSE OF THE VOTING REFUGEES
"According to the latest reports, the response of the refugees that
are to vote at the forthcoming elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is
quite good" - said for TANJUG Ms. Bratislava Morina - Chairperson of the
Federal Government Committee for aid to the refugees for the elections
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In her opinion the good response is a sign
that the refugees plan to go to the Republic of Srpska and vote,
regardless of the fact that they previously lived in zones that are now
under the control of the Moslem-Croatian Federation. "The Bosnian Serb
refugees that have found shelter in Yugoslavia are fully aware of the
fact that their vote will be a way of fighting for the Republic of
Srpska even though they are not obliged to return there." - Ms. Morina
remarked. The transportation of the voting refugees to Bosnia will be
organized by the Federal Committee, and in view of the massive response
of those that want to vote in Bosnia personally, OSCE financial aid will
be required.
(Politika, July 30, 1996)
[05] FRY AND THE UN TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT ON THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL BELGRADE LIAISON OFFICE
"Yugoslavia and the United Nations will sign an agreement on the
opening of the Hague Tribunal Liaison Office in Belgrade, and all
possible controversies will in future be settled by an international
arbitration committee", said the Federal Minister of Justice - Dr.
Vladimir Krivokapic. The grounds for accepting the Yugoslav cooperation
with the Hague Tribunal is the UN Security Council Resolution 827
adopted in 1993, said the Minister adding that one of the open questions
is the "request to adapt our legislation to the regulations of the Hague
Tribunal". "Among other things, this involves the right of the
prosecutor to demand the cession of the criminal procedure or the
reinstatement of indictment even after a valid sentence has been
passed", said Dr. Krivokapic adding that the procedure for modifying the
Yugoslav legislation is highly complex, making "the possibility of
transforming the national laws to meet the Tribunal regulations
absolutely out of the question." The federal Constitution and the
Criminal Procedure Law clearly specify that Yugoslav citizens can not
be extradited to another country regardless of all binding decisions of
the Tribunal. Commenting the charges against FR Yugoslavia brought
before the Permanent Court of Justice at the Hague two years ago by the
Moslem Government, Dr. Krivokapic stressed that the Federal Government
prepared a counter accusation which not only denies all the allegations
of Yugoslavia helping the Serbs in the Republic of Srpska to carry out
the genocide against the Moslems, but also "provides facts and arguments
proving the contrary: that the Bosnian Serbs were the victims of
genocide."
(Vecernje Novosti, July 30, 1996)
[06] CRIME AND 300 INDICTMENTS
The Republic of Srpska has until now submitted to the International
Hague Tribunal some 300 dossiers containing evidence on war crimes
committed against the Serbian people in the past war in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. According to the current investigations, 2,300 Serbs have
been victims of war criminals, members of military and police units from
the Moslem-Croatian Federation and the Republic of Croatia. The list of
those accused of war crimes includes the President of the pro-Moslem
Presidency of Bosnia and Chairman of the Democratic Action Party - Alija
Izetbegovic, the Vice President of the Presidency - Eyup Ganic, former
Chief of Staff of the B&H Army - general Sefer Halilovic and his
successor Rassim Delic, the first Minister of Interior Yusuf Pusina, the
Commander ofd the Special Police Forces - Dragan Vikic, the first
Commander of the B&H Army 3rd Corps - Enver Hadzihasanovic and many
others. According to Mr. Goran Neskovic - Ass. Minister of Justice of
the Republic of Srpska, the Hague Tribunal still did not react to the
submitted materials. The Tribunal only formulated several "cases" with
this evidence, but launched no investigation nor indictments - remarked
Neskovic. Such actions promote doubts on the impartiality of the this
court, and should such attitude continue the cooperation with the Hague
Tribunal will be completely jeopardized - he added.
(Vecernje Novosti, July 30, 1996)
[07] WASHINGTON WANTS IZETBEGOVIC TO REFUSE AID FROM IRAN
The State Department asked the Moslem government in Sarajevo to
refuse the offer of financial aid made by Iran, because America does not
want that country - blacklisted as one of the sponsors of international
terrorism - to become involved in the Balkans. The official State
Department representative Nicholas Burns remarked that the Iranian offer
of 50 million dollars for Bosnia does not mean much, especially in view
of the fact that the international community already provided a billion
dollars. Burns remarked that there is no need nor justification for the
Sarajevo government to accept the aid "of a terrorist country". This is
yet another of the American serial warnings addressed to the Sarajevo
government in view of its close ties with Iran. The protests have become
more frequent after the signing of the Dayton Agreement, when it became
obvious that Izetbegovic did not deny further hospitality to the
Mujahedins.
(Politika, July 30, 1996)
[08] TENSION IN LIVNO IS GROWING
Eyup Ganic - the Vice President of the Moslem-Croatian Federation
warned that after the publication of the results of the elections in
Mostar, the political and security situation in the Livno County, and
in the canton of Western Herzegovina, is rapidly deteriorating -
reported Moslem Radio Sarajevo yesterday. The statement issued by Mr.
Ganic's office numerous cases of bombs and arson used against Moslem
property and temples by Croatian extremists in the past month. The same
statement stresses that this is yet another example of intimidation of
the remaining 3,000 Moslems in Livno, especially in view of the coming
elections.
(Ekspres, July 30, 1996)
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