Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-06-06

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT - STATEMENT 12-13.

[02] GREEK AMBASSADOR IN BELGRADE ON SALONIKA CONFERENCE OF BALKAN STATES

[03] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION HOLDS SUCCESSFUL TALKS IN STUTTGART

[04] MILENTIJEVIC MEETS WITH BRITISH AMBASSADOR ROBERTS

[05] REHN CALLS FOR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR WAR CRIMES

[06] SERBIAN MINISTER MILENTIJEVIC CONFERS WITH U.N. RAPPORTEUR REHN

[07] BULATOVIC RECEIVES DELEGATIONS OF SERBIAN AND MONTENEGRIN SOCIALISTS

[08] SERBIA'S SOCIALISTS NOMINATE MILOSEVIC FOR YUGOSLAVIA'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

[01] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT - STATEMENT 12-13.

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

The Yugoslav Government adopted on Thursday a platform for Prime Minister Radoje Kontic's talks with Chairman of Poland's Council of Ministers Wlodzimierz Czimoszewicz in Warsaw on June

This is Kontic's first working visit to Poland, a statement issued by the Yugoslav Information Secretariat said.

The Kontic-Czimoszewicz talks reflect the continuation of political contacts between Yugoslavia and Poland and are aimed at boosting all-round cooperation between the two countries, the statement said.

The two countries are to sign agreements on double taxation relief and cooperation between their health care services as well as agreements in the sphere of agriculture and tourism.

Kontic will head a delegation of State officials and leading Yugoslav businessmen that are to hold talks on the promotion of cooperation among the two countries' companies.

The Government also adopted a platform for Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic's participation in a Conference of southeast european foreign ministers in Salonika, Greece, on June 9-10. The Conference reflects the continuation of regional cooperation, which is also urged by Yugoslavia.

The Government determined a draft Agreement on military cooperation with Romania that is to be signed during Defence Minister Pavle Bulatovic's visit to that country on June 9-11 and adopted a platform for Minister of Transport Dejan Drobnjakovic's talks with his Greek, Bulgarian, Turkish, Slovak and Hungarian counterparts.

[02] GREEK AMBASSADOR IN BELGRADE ON SALONIKA CONFERENCE OF BALKAN STATES

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

Greek Ambassador to Yugoslavia Panayotis Vlassopoulos said on Thursday that a Conference of Balkan states in Salonika on June 9-10 was aimed at promoting the basis of regional cooperation by strengthening peace, cooperation and good*neighbourly relations.

Vlassopoulos told Belgrade Radio Channel One that the basis of that cooperation had been established at the previous Ministerial Conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, a year ago.

Vlassopoulos said the Salonika Conference would focus on the strengthening of both political as well as economic cooperation, saying Balkan foreign ministers as well as privatisation ministers and leading businessmen had therefore been invited to the Conference.

In this connection, he said this should be an opportunity to learn about and coordinate Balkan countries' priority, economic and investment programmes, especially in the sphere of power and other industries, transport, construction and telecommunications.

Consequently, the Conference has attracted attention of a large number of countries and all major international organisations that will send its representatives to it, he said.

Vlassopoulos said Yugoslav-Greek political relations were on a high level, saying the two countries' economic relations had not yet reached that level.

He said both countries wanted this to happen and had taken steps to this end so that agreements on double taxation relief and investment protection, which he said had already been initialled, might be soon signed.

Vlassopoulos also said that Yugoslavia's constructive initiatives had helped strengthen peace, stability and cooperation in the region, saying this would make easier the country's reintegration into the international community.

[03] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION HOLDS SUCCESSFUL TALKS IN STUTTGART

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

A delegation of Yugoslav officials and businessmen, headed by Foreign Trade Minister Borislav Vukovic, informed on Thursday partners in Stuttgart, Germany, about the Yugoslav economy's potential and ways of cooperation between the two states.

Vukovic met also with Secretary of the Ministry of Economy of Germany's Baden-Wuerttemberg Province, Horst Merlender.

Merlender backed the promotion of cooperation between Yugoslavia and Germany, urging that it be speeded up. He welcomed Yugoslavia's results to date in maintaining the stability of its market and the country's efforts to increase trade with Germany.

Before Vukovic-Merlender talks, the delegation and officials of German firms discussed cooperation to date among Yugoslav and German partners welcoming the recently signed contract for cooperation between Yugoslavia's Ikarbus and Germany's Mercedes-Benz.

The German businessmen showed interest in Yugoslavia's current economic reforms and its economic development plans. They agreed that the current visa regime between the two countries made difficult economic cooperation between them.

The delegation is to leave for Hagen late Thursday for talks with local businessmen. The delegation ends its several-day visit to Germany on Friday.

[04] MILENTIJEVIC MEETS WITH BRITISH AMBASSADOR ROBERTS

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

Serbian Information Minister Radmila Milentijevic met on Thursday with British Ambassador to Yugoslavia Ivor Roberts, at his own request.

Roberts wanted to know in what way the status of electronic media that did not have necessary permits would be regulated and whether the regulation of their status would be carried out in line with recommendations cited in a report submitted by Felipe Gonzalez, said a statement issued by the Serbian Information Ministry.

Milentijevic said more than 300 radio stations and about 100 television stations that had not been registered were in operation in Serbia, saying their number increased daily.

The illegal media that have been switched off the air by the Federal Inspection represent isolated cases and do not speak of the state's intention to close down all these radio and television stations, she said.

On the contrary, by issuing temporary permits, relevant federal and republican bodies want to bring some order into this area until a public competition for frequencies late this year or early next year.

She said she would urge that most of electronic media be temporarily legalised in the shortest time possible, saying that meant that all media which met necessary legal requirements would be able to take part in the coming election campaign.

Milentijevic said she was confident that republican presidential and parliamentary elections would be held in a democratic atmosphere and that media would present all candidates running in elections in a correct manner.

[05] REHN CALLS FOR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR WAR CRIMES

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

Special U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur for the former Yugoslavia Elisabeth Rehn told a news conference on Thursday that it was unacceptable to talk about collective guilt for war crimes, and urged that the Hague international war-crimes tribunal establish individual responsibility for the crimes.

Rehn said she had discussed the matter on Wednesday with officials of Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro, and noted that the dialogue would resume.

The U.N. Rapporteur told journalists that she had proposed in the meeting with Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic that the institution of Human-Rights Ombudsman be introduced in Yugoslavia as an independent legal institution, and set out that minister Milutinovic had shown interest in it.

She said she had informed minister Milutinovic that her mandate was being extended to cover also missing persons, and noted that Milutinovic had expressed readiness to assist her in the matter.

Rehn urged that human rights be respected in the current trial of a group of ethnic-Albanian terrorists in Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

She told the press that she had also discussed with Yugoslav officials the upcoming elections and the freedom of the press, and said she hoped Serbia's future Information Law would include what is contained in the recommendations of the U.N. Human Rights Mission.

Asked how was the international community going to secure the return of Serbs to Croatia, when nobody there guaranteed their security, rapporteur Rehn replied that Western Government representatives were being increasingly energetic in their efforts to that end and that she would personally bring up the matter in talks with croatian President Franjo Tudjman, since she stressed the security of the Serb population must be absolutely secured.

Asked about the case of Serb Vojin Dabic who was maltreated by the croatian police in Vukovar, Rehn said she had no information but would try to learn something about the case from U.N. administrator Jacques Klein.

Rehn declined directly to answer a question about the role of her reports in the continued pressure exerted by the international community on Yugoslavia, which was continually confronted with new conditions and demands, while that was not the case with Croatia.

Asked about the responsibility of the Hague war-crimes tribunal for publishing the list of witnesses in the case of the Celebici camp, where Serbs were victims, Rehn said witnesses had to be protected and their security guaranteed.

[06] SERBIAN MINISTER MILENTIJEVIC CONFERS WITH U.N. RAPPORTEUR REHN

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

Serbian Information Minister Radmila Milentijevic and U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur for the former Yugoslavia Elisabeth Rehn discussed on Thursday the position of media in Serbia and their role in democratic processes, especially the upcoming presidential election in the republic and parliamentary elections at the federal level, a Government statement said.

Minister Milentijevic acquainted rapporteur Rehn with the second working draft of Serbia's future Information Law and a broad public discussion which was under way on the draft document.

The two sides agreed that, apart from the openness of the sources of information and responsibility for public statements, the training of young journalists and their critical and unbiased attitude towards all political factors, in the interest of the well being of the people and the state, were very important for the profession.

Asked by Rehn about the conditions under which media in Serbia would be accessible to political parties, especially the state-run television, Milentijevic said the upcoming elections would be organized in a democratic and fair atmosphere, which she noted implied the openness of Radio- Television Serbia to the parties running in the elections.

Rehn inquired also about the forthcoming legalization of the status of electronic media in Serbia, in connection with which Milentijevic said that the majority of radio and TV stations would get provisional work permits and set out that the whole process had been initiated to make order in the domain and not to suppress media.

The two sides set out that cooperation between the special U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur and the Serbian Information Ministry, inaugurated with an exchange of views on the draft Information Law, was successful, and expressed readiness further to develop it.

[07] BULATOVIC RECEIVES DELEGATIONS OF SERBIAN AND MONTENEGRIN SOCIALISTS

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic received late on Thursday delegations of Serbia's Socialist Party (SPS) and Montenegro's Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).

A statement issued by the Presidential Office said the two delegations had informed Bulatovic about the outcome of a meeting that they had held in Podgorica earlier in the day.

The SPS and the DPS have been coalition partners on the federal level since the creation of FR Yugoslavia.

Bulatovic said the two parties' commitment to Yugoslavia as a federation of equal republics and peoples was a major link between them, saying this commitment had been crucial to their victory in elections and to their winning the citizens' confidence.

He said that, at this point, Yugoslavia was a state whose important position in Europe and vital role in positive processes in the Balkans could no longer be denied.

Consequently, the two parties' obligation is to speed up and make more efficient the realisation of goals set in their programmes and to secure an all-round and successful development of Yugoslavia.

Bulatovic backed the agreement reached between the two parties that they appear jointly on Yugoslavia's political scene, in line with their respective political rules and procedures, the statement said.

[08] SERBIA'S SOCIALISTS NOMINATE MILOSEVIC FOR YUGOSLAVIA'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Tanjug, 1997-06-05

Delegations of Serbia's Socialist Party (SPS) and Montenegro's Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) discussed here on Thursday current political issues and the two parties' joint activity.

The DPS delegation was headed by DPS Vice-President Milica Pejanovic- Djurisic, while the SPS delegation was headed by its Vice-President Milorad Vucelic, a statement issued by the DPS Press Section said.

The further strengthening of FR Yugoslavia as a federation of equal republics and peoples, and of its institutions, in keeping with obligations and commitments assumed under the Constitution is vital for citizens and peoples that live in the country and is their major commitment, the statement said.

It is vital that Yugoslavia develop and strengthen its position through speedy democratic, political, economic, social and cultural reforms, the statement said.

Changes and reforms should make Yugoslavia stronger as a community in which all are equal and have equal conditions for economic development based on the principles of justice, social security and solidarity, it said.

Such a federal state will continue to reaffirm itself as a factor of stability and peace in the region and as a state that respects good* neighbourly relations based on the principle of equality and active participation in integrational processes, organisations and institutions in europe and elsewhere in the world, on the principles of equality and protection of its freedom and independence, the statement said.

The statement said that, as two parties that enjoyed greatest confidence among citizens, the DPS and the SPS were firmly committed to the speedy development and strengthening of Yugoslavia and to reaffirming its position in the region, Europe and elsewhere in the world through their joint political activity.

The SPS and the DPS will step up their political activity to this end and, through regular contacts, coordinate their stands on the development, strengthening and more efficient functioning of the country's institutions, in the interest of citizens' well-being and prosperity, the statement said.

The two parties, that are coalition partners, agreed to adopt a protocol that should regulate in detail relations and cooperation between them.

The SPS officials informed the DPS delegation that the SPS had decided to nominate Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic for Yugoslavia's presidential elections. They said the party had also launched an initiative to amend Articles 97 and 98 of the Federal Constitution that regulate the procedure of electing Federal President.

The statement said the DPS Main Committee would take a decision on the matter in its meeting, highly respecting cooperation to date between the two parties and honouring the SPS decision to put up Milosevic as its candidate for the coming presidential elections.

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