Yugoslav Daily Survey 96-08-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT LILIC SETS FEDERAL ELECTIONS

[02] MILOSEVIC AND CHRISTOPHER MEET IN GENEVA

[03] MILOSEVIC MEETS SEPARATELY WITH PARTICIPANTS IN GENEVA SUMMIT

[04] MILOSEVIC EXPRESSES OPTIMISM ABOUT UPCOMING ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA

[05] MILOSEVIC AND COTTI FOR NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS

[06] CHRISTOPHER SAYS IMPORTANT RESULTS ACHIEVED AT GENEVA MEETING

[07] TUDJMAN HAILS GENEVA TALKS

[08] YUGOSLAV AND BULGARIAN PREMIERS INAUGURATE BELGRADE-SOFIA OPTIC CABLE

[09] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER STATES GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES

[10] CONTINUED PARTIAL SANCTIONS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA ARE UNTENABLE

[11] YUGOSLAV AND CHINESE PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS MEET IN BELGRADE

[12] YUGOSLAV MINISTER TOURS AFRICA

[13] NATO ENDS STATE OF HIGH ALERT

[14] BOSNIAN MUSLIMS AND CROATS ELECT MOSTAR MAYOR AND DEPUTY

[15] SERBS SIGN DEAL ON SWEEPING MINES FROM OIL FIELDS

[01] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT LILIC SETS FEDERAL ELECTIONS

The Assemblies of Yugoslavia's two Republics, Serbia and Montenegro, are to elect the Members of the Federal Parliament's Upper House, the Chamber of the Republics, within 30 days from the Federal elections.

The Decision signed by President Lilic specifies that the election-campaign period begins on August 15. The previous, early Federal elections in Yugoslavia were held on December 20, 1992.

Lilic said in a broadcast statement that he had set the Federal elections for the same date on which elections for the Montenegro Legislature would be held, considering the solution to be most rational in terms of the elections' cost and effectiveness.

The Yugoslav President said he had also taken into consideration the weather conditions since it had been shown in the past that winter weather prevented a significant percentage of voters from exercising their rights.

'I was especially guided by the need to give enough time to all parties and individuals to present their election programmes,' Lilic said.

He said the chief task of those who will be elected would be to secure economic recovery and set the Country on a course of further development and all-round democratization in the interest of all citizens and the two Republics.

GENEVA MEETING

[02] MILOSEVIC AND CHRISTOPHER MEET IN GENEVA

Within the exchange of views on bilateral issues, Milosevic and Christopher said the full normalization of relations between Yugoslavia and the U.S., especially at the economic level, would be a major factor of an overall resolution of problems in the Balkans. The steps taken to date for the full normalization of Yugoslav-U.S. relations and the intensification of their dialogue at a high political level were applauded. Interest was shown in the resumption of the dialogue in the interest of the promotion of the bilateral cooperation.

The meeting was attended also by Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic.

[03] MILOSEVIC MEETS SEPARATELY WITH PARTICIPANTS IN GENEVA SUMMIT

The contacts were held as part of the meeting devoted to the implementation of the Dayton Accords and preparations for the upcoming elections in Bosnia, held at the U.S. U.N. Mission and hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher.

The contacts were devoted to the efforts all sides must make to create conditions for the elections in Bosnia and to prevent moves which would destabilize the electoral process.

All partners in the talks expressed interest in all conditions being created as soon as possible, in keeping with the Dayton Accords, for the equality of all political parties on the political stage in Bosnia and regular elections.

[04] MILOSEVIC EXPRESSES OPTIMISM ABOUT UPCOMING ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA

President Milosevic said he expected 'the further development of the situation will secure comprehensive peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina and at the same time enable all sides to turn to daily affairs and economic development.'

'It is beyond doubt that the elections, which will lead to the establishment of new, legally elected institutions in Republika Srpska, the Muslim-Croat Federation and Bosnia-Herzegovina as a whole, are in the interest of the citizens of both Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation,' Milosevic said in the statement given to Tanjug Director Zoran Jevdjovic.

The Serbian President noted that authorities of both entities in Bosnia had to do everything to create the necessary conditions.

Milosevic, who headed the Yugoslav Delegation to the Geneva meeting, said the meeting had showed that 'all sides, without exception' were strongly determined strictly and fully to implement the Dayton Accords for Bosnia.

Preparations for the upcoming elections were in the focus of our attention and they will be permanently on the agenda until the September 14. balloting, Milosevic said.

He noted that all sides must take further steps above all to enable the freedom of movement and the creation of normal and regular conditions for the elections.

[05] MILOSEVIC AND COTTI FOR NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS

Both sides pointed out that, as part of the overall relations, particular attention should be paid to the promotion of economic cooperation, bearing in view the fact that the F.R.Y. is the key factor in the Peace Process as well as in economic relations throughout the Balkan region.

At the brief and friendly talk between Milosevic and Cotti, in which Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic also took part, the questions pertaining to the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement were also considered.

Milosevic advised Cotti about the current situation in the area of the former Yugoslavia as well as about the course of the meeting in Geneva.

[06] CHRISTOPHER SAYS IMPORTANT RESULTS ACHIEVED AT GENEVA MEETING

Christopher told a Press Conference late on Wednesday that the one-day meeting with Presidents Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia and Franjo Tudjman of Croatia and Muslim Leader Alija Izetbegovic had been successful. He said the results were an important step toward stabilizing the situation in Bosnia and the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord.

The leaders achieved four crucial agreements: on the September elections in Bosnia, the revising of the Muslim-Croat Federation, the establishing of legal institutions and fulfilling important obligations under the Dayton Accord.

Christopher said the leaders had agreed that conditions had to be secured for the upcoming Bosnia-wide elections, meaning freedom of movement, an end to violence, the right of displaced persons to return to their homes and freer media coverage. War Crimes indictees will not be allowed to take part in the elections.

Izetbegovic and Tudjman signed an Agreement on reviving the Muslim-Croat Federation and on the abolition of the Bosnian Croat State of Herceg-Bosna from August 31, when all state, political and other functions will be merged with the Federation.

The third crucial issue, said Christopher, was establishing legal institutions after the elections of the two entities, the Federation and the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska.

The parties agreed on the importance of fully implementing the Regional Arms Control Accord and an arbitrary solution to Brcko.

Christopher welcomed the process of normalizing relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia and a recent successful visit by Sarajevo Government representatives to Belgrade.

Christopher said the parties had agreed on the need to respect the spirit and letter of the Dayton Peace Accord.

[07] TUDJMAN HAILS GENEVA TALKS

On his return, Tudjman said talks with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic had been useful and that documents would be prepared on full normalization of Diplomatic Relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia. This should lead to lasting stability and peace in the Region, said Tudjman.

In talks with Bosnian Muslim Leader Alija Izetbegovic, Tudjman said the two had determined on doing everything so that the Muslim-Croat Federation begins to function, and added that full equality for the Croat people in the Federation had to be secured, as well as the Federation's linking-up with Croatia.

tudjman said all parties had asserted their commitment to the implementation of the Dayton Accord and the elections in Bosnia next month.

FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

[08] YUGOSLAV AND BULGARIAN PREMIERS INAUGURATE BELGRADE-SOFIA OPTIC CABLE

The operation of this cable between Sofia and Belgrade is a strategical contribution to the further linking of the economies and citizens of the two neighbouring and friendly countries, said Kontic at a ceremony in the border town of Dimitrovgrad.

Kontic assessed that this was a project of great importance not only regionally but also internationally. He underscored that this most up-to-date engineering project in digital technology was jointly realized by the PTT public enterprise of Serbia and the Bulgarian Telecommunications Network BTK-EAD.

Kontic said, 'the development of bilateral cooperation with Bulgaria is among the top foreign political priorities of the F.R.Y.' He emphasized that relations between the two countries 'have gained momentum after the suspensions of sanctions' and no obstacles stood in the way of such future developments.

Kontic stressed that the F.R.Y. was endeavouring to develop such cooperation also with other adjacent countries, and 'as soon as possible to normalize relations with all former Yugoslav republics.' This is, as he assessed, 'the best way to generate the indispensable prerequisites for peaceful and stable development and prosperity of all the countries in the Region.'

Kontic said the F.R.Y. expected that the international community should, right after the holding of the free elections in Bosnia, abolish the sanctions and hence what is termed as the 'outer wall' of the sanctions, so that the F.R.Y. would still more strongly reaffirm its role as the factor of peace, stability and good-neighbourly relations in the Region.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Videnov stressed that the opening of this telecommunications link serve Bulgaria and the F.R.Y. to integrate themselves into the global European and World Telecommunications System.

The beginning of the New Century simultaneously presumes the start of a liberalization of telecommunications in world proportions, so that, also in the Balkans, what is being created are the new relations of cooperation, openness and integration processes, Videnov added.

[09] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER STATES GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES

Kontic said since the normalization of relations with Macedonia earlier this year, Yugoslavia planned to normalize relations with Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina after the September elections.

Kontic invited the businessmen to establish cooperation with partners from former Yugoslavia, especially from Bosnia, whose economy was, he said, complementary with Yugoslavia's.

[10] CONTINUED PARTIAL SANCTIONS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA ARE UNTENABLE

The Speaker of the Federal Parliament's Lower House made the statement in a talk with a visiting Delegation of the Chinese National People's Congress, headed by Congress Vice-Chairman Wu Jieping, the Parliament's Press Service said.

Bozovic urged China to call for the lifting of the so-called outer wall of sanctions, which he said seriously impeded Yugoslavia's economic recovery and international reintegration.

Wu commended Yugoslavia for persevering in its peace policy, despite strong pressures and the sanctions, and said Yugoslavia's international position had been improved thanks to that policy. He said the Chinese Legislature, Government and People wanted the sanctions against Yugoslavia to be lifted and Yugoslavia to return to international political, economic and financial institutions.

The two sides assessed that the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries and their peoples were a basis for the further development of all-round bilateral cooperation and cooperation at the international level.

[11] YUGOSLAV AND CHINESE PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS MEET IN BELGRADE

In a talk with a Delegation of China's National People's Congress which arrived on an official five-day visit to Yugoslavia Tuesday, at the invitation of the Yugoslav Parliament, Bogdanovic thanked Chinese leaders and people for the support lent to Yugoslavia in the past difficult period when the 'international community imposed unheard-of sanctions on Yugoslavia.'

Bogdanovic underscored that China, as a Permanent Member of the U.N. Security Council, with its policy had helped some issues be resolved in the interest of Yugoslavia.

Bogdanovic informed the visitors that activities were under way in Yugoslavia for the normalizing of political and economic relations with Croatia, and that Yugoslavia expected, after the September elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a larger number of refugees to return to the Republika Srpska, the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which he said required assistance by friendly countries.

Speaking about the situation in Serbia's Southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija, predominantly populated by ethnic Albanians, Bogdanovic said that separatist groups in this Province, with support of some foreign powers, were trying to break away from Serbia, using terrorist attacks.

Congress Vice-Chairman Wu Jiepieng, who heads the Chinese Delegation, said that China urged the equality of all countries, but that a number of countries in the United Nations were major organizers of the implementation of the blockade against Yugoslavia.

Wu set out his country urged maintenance of peace and stability, and that a small, but strong part of the international community, using various motives, was exerting pressure on Developing Countries. Wu added that China especially appreciates that Yugoslavia consistently pursues the policy of peace and independence.

Speaker of the Yugoslav Parliament's Chamber of Republics Milos Radulovic in a separate talk with the Chinese delegation said China's stance towards the crisis in former Yugoslavia testified to the lasting character of 'friendship between the two countries' which 'will continue that way also in the future.' 'China always appreciated our contribution to establishing peace and urged that efforts invested by our country be adequately valued in international forums,' Radulovic said.

Wu set out that China would continue in the future to oppose in the Security Council the implementation of economic sanctions against Yugoslavia observing the principles of equality of all countries. He thanked the Yugoslav people and Government for the care extended regarding floods in China and for their support in resolving the problems in Taiwan and Tibet.

Radulovic announced that a Yugoslav Inter-Parliamentary Delegation would take part in the 96th Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Peking from September 16-22.

[12] YUGOSLAV MINISTER TOURS AFRICA

His tour is aimed at promoting economic cooperation and setting the ground for signing Inter-Government Agreements with these countries, the office of Minister Bingulac said in a statement.

In these countries, Bingulac will meet with a number of government officials, representatives of economic organizations and scientific institutions.

His tour is in the service of implementing the Agreement reached between Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe during Mugabe's recent visit to Yugoslavia, the statement said.

FROM BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

[13] NATO ENDS STATE OF HIGH ALERT

The state of high alert ended after a misunderstanding on the inspection of Bosnian Serb Military sites had been resolved on Tuesday. Implementation Force Ground Troops Commander Michael Walker said the inspection of the site had been successful.

NATO troops deployed in the Muslim-Croat Federation have been on high alert since Friday. Quoting U.S. sources in Sarajevo, Associated Press said the measure had been introduced after American Intelligence had discovered a letter indicating a plan by Iranian terrorists to attack a NATO position in that part of Bosnia.

[14] BOSNIAN MUSLIMS AND CROATS ELECT MOSTAR MAYOR AND DEPUTY

The Assembly also elected V. Kordic, a Croat, as a Deputy Assembly Speaker, to work together with H.Jahic, a Muslim, who was elected Assembly Speaker in July, at a Council Session boycotted by the Croats on the pretext of alleged polling irregularities at the June 30 elections.

CROATIA - SERBS

[15] SERBS SIGN DEAL ON SWEEPING MINES FROM OIL FIELDS

U.N. Transitional Administration Chief Jozef Schoups said the oil fields were an important point of interest, adding that the beginning of cooperation is a step toward a better future.

The mine-sweeping operation should set conditions for beginning of exploitation of the oil fields, as UNTAES officials have said, which is in keeping with the Serbo-Croatian Accord on a peaceful solution of the Region.

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