Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-04-30

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] EU GRANTS TRADE PREFERENCES TO YUGOSLAVIA

[02] YUGOSLAV CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT HAILS EU DECISION ON PREFERENCES

[03] NEW YORK TIMES: NEW ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE CROATIAN AUTHORITIES

[04] OSCE ANNOUNCES TIGHTER CONTROL OF VOTERS IN BOSNIA LOCAL ELECTIONS

[05] ALL SYSTEMS IN MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION FUNCTION SEPARATELY

[06] OGATA SAYS AID ONLY FOR NOT ETHNICALLY-PURE AREAS IN BOSNIA

[07] STANIMIROVIC: JOINT COUNCIL OF MUNICIPALITIES TO HAVE LEGAL STATUS

[08] AUSTRIA DESCRIBES TRADE PREFERENCES AS RECOGNITION TO YUGOSLAVIA

[09] SPS HAILS EU DECISION ON TRADE PREFERENTIALS TO YUGOSLAVIA

[10] BRITAIN SUPPORTS EU DECISION ON TRADE PREFERENCES TO YUGOSLAVIA

[11] STATISTICS INSTITUTE DIRECTOR EXPECTS 100 MILLION DOLLAR ANNUAL EARNINGS

[12] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PREMIER HAILS EU DECISION ON PREFERENCES FOR YUGOSLAVIA

[13] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY HAILS EU DECISION ON TRADE PREFERENCES

[14] GERMANY: TRADE PREFERENCES A REWARD FOR REFORMS IN YUGOSLAVIA

[01] EU GRANTS TRADE PREFERENCES TO YUGOSLAVIA

The ministers thus restored Yugoslavia's status abolished on November 25, 1991, granting it preferential conditions for exports in line with the agreement concluded by the EU and the former Yugoslav Federation in April 1980.

The trade preferences, involving duty-free exports to the EU market and the lifting of a series of restrictions on industrial production, will provide an impetus for the development of Yugoslavia's economy, the EU Ministerial Council said in a statement.

The preferences were granted for 1997, the statement says.

The EU expects Yugoslav authorities to establish a dialogue with the opposition, modify its Press and Electoral Laws and Judiciary System and realize progress in resolving the Kosovo issue, the statement says.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[02] YUGOSLAV CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT HAILS EU DECISION ON PREFERENCES

The preferences will provide to Yugoslav exporters easier access to the EU market and constitute an important step towards normalizing bilateral economic cooperation which used to be highly developed in the past, Milojevic told Tanjug.

The decision will also help Yugoslavia's endeavours for the establishment of open market economy, he said.

Milojevic expects a considerable increase in the volume and value of Yugoslavia's exports to the EU, thanks to the reduction of customs and other duties in line with the EU ministers' decision.

Yugoslavia's economy will consequently have the opportunity to test its technology and the quality of its products in intensive competition at the selective EU market, and this will help it grow stronger and develop creativity, Milojevic said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[03] NEW YORK TIMES: NEW ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE CROATIAN AUTHORITIES

The first attack came in an article by the "Times" journalist cruising the territories of the former Yugoslavia, Chris Hedges, in whose article from Zagreb entitled "The Croatian nationalists turn their back on the West", it is said that the Croatian Government torpedoed the American initiative to have the Region restored, defying the Western pressures to allow the return of the Serb refugees and failing to persecute the alleged war criminals.

By quoting the statements of western diplomats, Hedges said that they started to look down on Croatia's future integration in Europe and its position as an economic and military partner since there is not a single issue of importance to the West that the Croatian Government is willing to address.

The "Times" journalist ascribes such arrogance to an overwhelming victory at recent elections of the Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ), which will dominate Croatia's political life in the years to come and warns that with the defeat of the opposition it is highly unlikely that Zagreb will change its course.

The first cause of discontent among the Western diplomats, according to Hedges, is Tudjman's refusal to cooperate with the International Tribunal for war crimes in The Hague ignoring the warnings and demands of the US Assistant Secretary of State, John Cornblum.

The West, says Hedges, is further unhappy with the manoeuvres of the Croatian Government to prevent the return of 200,000 expelled Serbs as required by the Dayton peace Agreement. It is even more enraged in the wake of Zagreb's response to American regional programme, which Croatia perceives as a disguised attempt on the part of the USA to connect it with the former Yugoslav republics.

Furthermore, American Ambassador in Zagreb, Peter Galbraith in past few days publicly called the Serbs from southern Krajina and western Slavonia to return to their homes. On the other hand, Croatia started moving displaced Croats from Bosnia and Serbia into their homes and expelled a few dozen Serbs who have already been allowed to return.

The "Times" reporter finally refers to the Bosnian Croats who refuse to cooperate with the Bosnian Federation following the instructions from Zagreb. At the same time, they continue to pursue the campaign of expelling the remaining Muslims from the Croatian part of Mostar.

In the end, Hedges mentions the objections of Western diplomats and UN officials over recent shortcomings connected to the elections in Eastern Slavonia, indicating that at least half of 120,000 Serbs will leave the region after its takeover in July by Croatia.

Yesterday's "Times" editorial is even more abrupt than the above article. It states that Croatia has its neo*Nazi wing, boiling with ethnic hatred, using nationalist insignia and fascist salute. However, small groups are not as dangerous as sophisticated leaders who are after a great and ethnically pure Croatia.

Although the attention so far focused on Milosevic in Serbia, the Croatian nationalists pose a greater thereat to peace in the Balkans, the editorial said. The editorial then claims that extreme nationalists are prominent in Croatia not because the majority of Croats support them * they do not * but because the nationalists frightened their opponents. Apart from that, they are rich thanks to smuggling and assistance of hard*line Croatian emigres.

Recalling that Tudjman's coalition partner was a neo*Nazi party, the "Times" claims that extremists also have control over the HDZ right wing, announcing that Defense Minister G. Susak may succeed cancer*stricken Tudjman.

The editorial repeats the assertions from the recent article of the "Times" columnist A. Rosenthal on the symbols and ideology taken over by Croatia from the previous Independent State of Croatia and particularly stresses that Ustashi killed hundreds of thousands of partisans, Serbs and Jews in it.

It is even more dangerous since the nationalists in the Government, often supported by Tudjman himself, wish to encompass all Croatian ethnic territories spreading to Bosnia and threatening Muslim*Croat Federation. The "Times" article highlights the developments in Mostar, whose Croatian part is treated as a part of Croatia by Tudjman.

The editorial also says that Tudjman does not allow the Serbs to return to Croatia where they used to live before and particularly condemns him for offering refuge, posting and decorating proven war criminals instead of turning them over to The Hague.

"The Times" claims that Tudjman is not immune to pressures of the West and that he used to bow down in its wake but that the USA, Germany and European countries so far failed to make him and his allies refrain from nationalism. According to the New York daily, it was time for Washington to put some pressure on him and convince him to embrace democratization in his country, get the better of Mostar's war lords and look for a more moderate successor.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[04] OSCE ANNOUNCES TIGHTER CONTROL OF VOTERS IN BOSNIA LOCAL ELECTIONS

Addressing a News Conference at the OSCE Headquarters, Hyde, Coordinator for the balloting outside Bosnia-Herzegovina, said all attempts to vote twice would be prevented through the OSCE internal system.

Hyde said the registration would commence on May 5 and would end on June 7 except in Bosnia where he said it would end on June 16.

Citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina currently living abroad can register personally or by mail, while those living in Yugoslavia or Croatia can only register personally at one of the 60 registration bureaus, he said.

The four OSCE centres in Vienna, Bonn, Belgrade and Zagreb will constitute a basis for the registration of voters.

According to Hyde, every citizen of Bosnia who has come of age, has the necessary documents and was registered in the 1991 census, has the right to register for polls for representatives of 12 cantons and 134 municipalities that will be organised and monitored by the OSCE.

The 1991 census represented the basis of presidential and parliamentary elections in Bosnia last Autumn when local polls should also have taken place but were postponed several times.

An estimated number of about 1 million Bosnian refugees are currently living in about 50 countries throughout the world.

About 3 million people living in the (Bosnian Serb) Republika Srpska and the Moslem-Croat Federation have the right to vote as well as more than 600, 000 persons living abroad.

Refugees that register as voters in Austria will receive forms for the balloting from the Austrian Interior Ministry. As many as 28,000 voters were registered in Austria in last year's elections.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[05] ALL SYSTEMS IN MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION FUNCTION SEPARATELY

'The new education plans and curriculums, as well as text books, were printed back in 1994 but are applied and used only in the areas controlled by the Muslim Army,' Jabucar said.

Elementary and secondary schools on the Croat-controlled territory of the Muslim-Croat Federation, meaning in the Croat community of Herzeg-Bosna, use strictly the Croatian language, and curriculums and textbooks of neighbouring Croatia.

Not just the educational but all other systems in the Muslim-Croat Federation function absolutely separately, including the health services, the economy, police, courts, media, power industry and the monetary system.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[06] OGATA SAYS AID ONLY FOR NOT ETHNICALLY-PURE AREAS IN BOSNIA

Reuters quoted Ogata as telling the Security Council that only 10,000 refugees had been allowed to return to areas in which they were not a majority, whereas local leaders in many other regions sought to build 'ethnically-pure' cities.

'My office has decided to provide support and material assistance to municipalities and regions which accept minority returns and to withhold it in areas where minority returns are refused,' Ogata said.

She told the Press after addressing the Council that since the Dayton Agreement had been signed in 1995, about 520,000 of the 2.2 million refugees and internally displaced persons had found a home. Ogata said most of them had found permanent asylum in other countries or had gone to the 'so-called majority areas.'

'I am convinced that ethnic relocation and repopulation can not be part of a solution for a peaceful and multi-ethnic Bosnia, unless it is voluntary,' the U.N. High Commissioner told the Press.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[07] STANIMIROVIC: JOINT COUNCIL OF MUNICIPALITIES TO HAVE LEGAL STATUS

Stanimirovic told Tanjug that the Council, which he said would be set up in Eastern Slavonia, Barania and Western Srem under the Erdut Agreement, would be made up of between 41 and 43 delegates from the ranks of SDSS candidates that ran in recent local elections.

He stressed the need for setting up the Council immediately, because he said U.N. Administrator Jacques Klein had informed him that the Regional Assembly would stop functioning on May 1.

He said Klein was also working on the transitional status of the Regional Executive Council which he said would function as long as new local authorities were not set up in keeping with the election returns.

Stanimirovic said,'the UNTAES (U.N. Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia) mandate will doubtlessly be linked to the implementation of the Erdut Agreement,' adding that it would be unacceptable both for UNTAES and the U.S. Government if the return of refugees worked only one way.

He said the multinational force's mandate, that is due to expire on January 15, 1998, would depend on that.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[08] AUSTRIA DESCRIBES TRADE PREFERENCES AS RECOGNITION TO YUGOSLAVIA

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[09] SPS HAILS EU DECISION ON TRADE PREFERENTIALS TO YUGOSLAVIA

The lifting of customs and other administrative obstacles and opening of the EU market to Yugoslav exports, although late, constitutes a recognition of Yugoslavia as an important and reliable economic partner, and a factor of peace, stability, good neighbourly relations and economic cooperation in south-eastern Europe, the statement says.

The lifting of unjustified barriers to Yugoslavia's exports has been hailed by both Yugoslav and EU business circles. It paves the way for increasing Yugoslavia's industrial and agricultural exports already this year, which will reduce Yugoslavia's foreign trade deficit and raise the overall economic cooperation to a much higher level, the statement says.

The SPS believes that the EU decision is the first important step towards establishing normal economic relations based on the principles of equality, reciprocity of interests and free movement of goods and capital without political pre-conditions or limitations, the statement says.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[10] BRITAIN SUPPORTS EU DECISION ON TRADE PREFERENCES TO YUGOSLAVIA

Taking into account Yugoslavia's importance for peace and stability of the entire region, its economic instability is a hindrance, which is why the EU trade preferences are only a part of the international community endeavours to normalize Yugoslavia's relations with the world financial market, the Foreign Office said. To this end, Britain will fully support the stabilization of Yugoslavia's status in the international community and especially its reintegration into world financial institutions, above all the International Monetary Fund, the Spokesman said.

Britain also sees the EU decision as a recognition of Yugoslavia's importance for Europe's fate and of its natural membership in the European Community of Nations, diplomatic sources said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[11] STATISTICS INSTITUTE DIRECTOR EXPECTS 100 MILLION DOLLAR ANNUAL EARNINGS

The decision has restored confidence in Yugoslav companies and will provide to European businessmen the opportunity to cooperate with Yugoslav partners to a greater extent, he said. This cooperation will indirectly help increase overall Yugoslav exports, which means additional annual earnings of about 300 million dollars, Zivkovic said.

Zivkovic, who had indicated one month ago that the EU would take such a positive decision, expects especially a considerable increase in Yugoslavia's exports of agricultural produce to the EU market.

The decision is at the same time the first important step towards Yugoslavia's definite reintegration into international economic activity. It is all the more important as the EU is Yugoslavia's key foreign trade partner, Zivkovic said.

In the first quarter of this year, Yugoslavia's exports to the EU market amounted to 166.2 million dollars, 56 million more than in the first quarter of 1996, and constituted 40% of Yugoslavia's overall exports, he said.

Yugoslavia's imports from the EU in the first quarter of this year amounted to 363 million dollars. However, the coverage of imports by exports increased from 32.3% last year to 45.7% in the first quarter of 1997, he noted.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[12] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PREMIER HAILS EU DECISION ON PREFERENCES FOR YUGOSLAVIA

Yugoslavia is very happy with that decision which is correct and which takes into account everything Yugoslavia has done and continues to do as regards reforms and adapting its economic system to EU standards, Djunic said.

The preferences fit in with the Yugoslav program of economic reforms which is being implemented as a long-term process which has now produced first results, Djunic said.

The EU decision enables Yugoslavia to export its goods to the West European market on an equal footing, as the restrictions which made them uncompetitive have been lifted. Yugoslavia will now be able to increase its exports and to conclude new contracts, he underlined.

Yugoslav companies must now fight to regain their place at the international market, Djunic said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[13] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY HAILS EU DECISION ON TRADE PREFERENCES

The Ministry described in a statement the EU decision taken on Tuesday in Luxembourg as an important step towards promoting and developing all-round cooperation in the interest of both Yugoslavia and the EU and its member- states.

Yugoslavia consequently expects this decision to provide an additional impetus to all Yugoslav and EU companies to maintain contacts and achieve fruitful cooperation, the statement says.

Although the decision should have been taken earlier, immediately after the Dayton and Paris agreements were signed, it still constitutes a recognition to Yugoslavia's consistent constructive role in the consolidation of peace and stabilization of the situation in the region as the basis for widest possible economic and social progress of all, founded on full equality, mutual understanding and good-neighbourly relations that Yugoslavia has always been advocating, the statement says.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is convinced that its overall relations with the European Union would now develop rapidly and that all former agreements would be renewed and new ones concluded, the statement says.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

[14] GERMANY: TRADE PREFERENCES A REWARD FOR REFORMS IN YUGOSLAVIA

Bonn has been indicating in the past few days it would support such a decision provided the majority of EU member-states were in favour, which was the case.

Germany was the second largest importer of Yugoslav goods last year (146 million dollars), after Italy. Now, thanks to the trade preferences, Yugoslavia will be able to double or triple its exports, said Milidar Zivanovic, Minister-Councillor for economic issues at the Yugoslav Embassy in Bonn.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-30 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-29

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