Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-06-16

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED KRAJISNIK

[02] MINISTER RADE FILIPOVIC HOLDS TALKS IN VIENNA

[03] HIGH DEGREE OF ACCORD ON ESTABLISHING BORDER CROSSINGS

[04] KONTIC: VERY SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO POLAND

[05] POLAND SUPPORTS YUGOSLAVIA'S REINTEGRATION INTO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

[06] PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES CHIEF OF STAFF ON ARMY DAY

[07] PRESIDENT LILIC CONGRATULATES YUGOSLAV ARMY

[08] PEACE IMPLEMENTATION COUNCIL GROUP FOR SUCCESSION

[09] KOSOVO ALBANIANS DO NOT ACCEPT AUTONOMY

[10] YUGOSLAVIA CALLS FOR A EUROPE OF EQUAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED KRAJISNIK

Tanjug, 1997-06-13

Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic received on Friday President in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Momcilo Krajisnik, Republika Srpska (RS) Speaker Dragan Kalinic, and RS Premier Gojko Klickovic.

In a lengthy talk, the overall implementation of the Dayton-Paris Agreement was reviewed in detail with a view to further consolidation of peace and stability in the region.

Special attention was devoted to efforts for the economic recovery of war- ravaged regions, as the essential precondition for the lasting normalisation of the situation and for opening up development prospects.

The upcoming local elections, in that respect, are the affirmation of the successful implementation of the Dayton Agreement, as well as of the consistent engagement of the international community in quick recovery and reconstruction, on an equitable basis.

For quicker economic recovery of special importance is the first set of regulations to be debated and approved soon in both houses of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The regulations include the Law on the Central Bank, the Law on the budget, the Law on the customs policy, as well as documents in the fields of foreign trade, foreign debts, immunity and the ratification of international accords, which will regulate the most important issues of joint interest.

Other issues discussed concern the implementation of the Agreement on special parallel relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska.

Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic and Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic also took part in the talks.

[02] MINISTER RADE FILIPOVIC HOLDS TALKS IN VIENNA

Tanjug, 1997-06-13

Yugoslav Minister of Economy Rade Filipovic said in Vienna on Friday that very useful and successful talks were held in Vienna with representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the U.N. Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

The Yugoslav delegation held talks with IAEA Deputy Director General Siegmund Dogmarakits and UNIDO Deputy Director General Dimitri Piskunov. Talks dealt with issues of further scientific, technical and financial cooperation between these international organisations and Yugoslav institutions, and the return of the FRY into these international organisations.

IAEA representatives promised that the current level of technical cooperation and expert and financial aid would be continued, and that they will support the return of the FRY in these institutions, Minister Filipovic said and added that future programs and projects were reviewed.

UNIDO was interested to learn about the activities of the Yugoslav Government in the field of investments in agriculture and industry and the harmonisation of regulations in that field with international regulations, Filipovic said.

Especially interesting for Yugoslavia, Filipovic said, are UNIDO's experiences in countries in transition, the privatisation of cooperatives and of collective property in those states, standards and prices in agriculture and other issues.

The Yugoslav delegation said it wanted to make contacts and exchange experience with UNIDO in view of the quicker development of small and medium-scale enterprises.

A UNIDO center is operating in Yugoslavia, based in Novi Sad.

Filipovic said that the Yugoslav delegation informed officials about the Yugoslav Government's intention to prepare legislation and acts for the quickest possible integration into the European and world economy, and about the harmonisation of regulations with the European Union.

[03] HIGH DEGREE OF ACCORD ON ESTABLISHING BORDER CROSSINGS

Tanjug, 1997-06-13

Negotiations continued in Belgrade on Friday between delegations of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia on draft Agreements on establishing border crossings and on local border traffic of persons.

A Federal Foreign Ministry statement said the sides had reached a high degree of accord on the draft Agreement on establishing border crossings.

The two sides agreed to continue negotiations on preparing a draft Agreement on local border traffic of persons in the same spirit in Zagreb in early July, which will be concluded by the Governments of the two countries, the Ministry statement said.

[04] KONTIC: VERY SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO POLAND

Tanjug, 1997-06-13

Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic said late on Friday that the two-day visit of a Yugoslav delegation to Poland had been very successful and the talks very fruitful and successful.

Addressing reporters at Belgrade's Surcin Airport immediately upon his arrival, Kontic said the Yugoslav delegation had held talks with leading Polish political and economic figures, from President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Prime Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, to the Marshals of the Sejm and Senate, many ministers and businessmen.

'The common characteristic of all these meetings is a whole-hearted wish to renew cooperation between Poland and Yugoslavia,' Kontic said.

Many arrangements were made during the visit, and many more are in the offing, he said.

The trip presented a big step toward establishing relations and cooperation between the two countries through institutions. Several agreements were signed, including three in the area of agriculture, one on avoiding double taxation, and a plan for cooperation in the area of health, said kontic.

'We have created a solid interstate-legal framework for comprehensive cooperation and the development of our relations,' he said.

'Our attention focused on economic issues, since former intense economic cooperation amounted to hardly 60 million dollars following the lifting of the international sanctions against Yugoslavia,' he said.

In order to liberalize foreign trade, we agreed to set up expert groups to propose an Agreement on the liberalization of foreign trade by the end of the year or by early 1998 at the latest, with the ultimate objective of forming a Free Trade Zone, Kontic said.

'We also devoted great attention to cooperation in banking and agreed to set up direct payment operations between the two banking systems. We also agreed to form a mixed Yugoslav-Polish Bank and set up credit lines,' he said.

The Yugoslav side urged the abolishment of the visa regime between the two countries, while Poland gave precedence to the Agreement on readmission. As agreed, both agreements will be coordinated and signed in parallel, Kontic said.

The agreed economic issues present a very firm foundation for realizing the final goal - to reach the former level of economic cooperation quickly and efficiently, said the Prime Minister.

As had been expected, the Polish side was very interested also in certain international issues, especially those in connection with the situation in former Yugoslavia.

'We agreed that only the due implementation of the Dayton and Erdut Accords is a guarantee for stable and lasting peace in these lands and that Yugoslavia has a decisive role in this,' he said.

'We also agreed that it is necessary, if Yugoslavia is to continue playing such a role, to secure its reintegration into the international community,' he said.

'Poland is ready not only to support this reintegration, but even to launch an initiative for the speediest possible return of Yugoslavia to the system of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and other international financial institutions, the World Trade Organization, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,' Prime Minister Kontic told reporters.

[05] POLAND SUPPORTS YUGOSLAVIA'S REINTEGRATION INTO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Tanjug, 1997-06-13

Poland will fully support the endeavours of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to reintegrate into the international community and its institutions, Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski said on Friday in Warsaw during a meeting with Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic.

Yugoslavia's continuing exclusion from the activities of international institutions is absurd, the President said. This absurd situation is hard to believe at the threshold of the 21st century, he said receiving the Yugoslav delegation headed by Kontic.

Kwasniewski expressed his conviction that Poland and Yugoslavia should intensify contacts and restore the very good level of bilateral relations they used to enjoy.

The 45-minute meeting focused on the future development of bilateral relations and the need for strengthening economic cooperation.

The trade between Poland and Yugoslavia last year amounted to 64.3 million dollars, of which the share of Yugoslav exports to Poland was only 6.2 million dollars. Bilateral trade can be increased several fold already next year, the Polish President said.

Kwasniewski endorsed the Yugoslav proposal for granting preferential treatment to Yugoslav-made goods at the Polish market, similar to that granted by the European Union.

The President also said that the Peace Process in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Eastern Slavonia should be completed and that all attempts at changing the Dayton Agreement or at postponing its implementation should be prevented.

[06] PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES CHIEF OF STAFF ON ARMY DAY

Tanjug, 1997-06-14

Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic addressed on Saturday a message of congratulations to Yugoslav Army Chief of Staff General Momcilo Perisic on the occasion of June 16 * Yugoslav Army Day.

The Yugoslav Army day is celebrated in the memory of one of the most outstanding dates in the common history of the struggle of Serbian and Montenegrin peoples for freedom and independence, Kontic said in his message.

The realization of vital state and national interests of the Serbian and Montenegrin peoples and all citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and security and prosperity of all countries of the Balkan region, Europe and the world, are the principal options and the basis of the concept of defense of the country as an integral part of its overall policy of peace and stability, Kontic said.

Kontic extended his sincere congratulations and best wishes to all soldiers and officers of the Yugoslav Army for their extraordinary efforts and results in army transformation in conditions of unprecedented trials and challenges the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has had to face, and for their role in guaranteeing Yugoslavia's security and stability.

[07] PRESIDENT LILIC CONGRATULATES YUGOSLAV ARMY

Tanjug, 1997-06-15

President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of the Supreme Defense Council Zoran Lilic congratulated members of the Yugoslav Army on the occasion of June 16 - Yugoslav Army Day.

President Lilic expressed in his message on behalf of the citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Supreme Defense Council and his own behalf his sincere congratulations to all officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers and civilian employees of the army on the occasion of the Yugoslav Army Day.

June 16, 1876, when the first Agreement on military cooperation was signed by Serbia and Montenegro, has been celebrated as the Yugoslav Army Day for the past five years in confirmation of the close and interrupted ties between the two peoples. The freedom-loving traditions of the Serb and Montenegrin peoples are the firm foundations of the military organization of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the President said in his message.

Over the past five years, the Yugoslav Army has grown to become a modern, highly professional, well-organized, combat-efficient and politics-free armed force, capable of responding to the defense needs and adapted to the economic potentials of the country. In the complex military and political conditions, the army has achieved outstanding results in training and in maintaining combat readiness of its command, units and institutions, and has demonstrated high professionalism, readiness and capability to defend the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the message says.

The Yugoslav Army guarantees freedom and peace for all Yugoslav citizens and is a key stability factor in the Balkans, the President said, adding he was convinced that the army would continue playing its constitutional role and providing firm support to a peaceful and free development and prosperity of the country.

[08] PEACE IMPLEMENTATION COUNCIL GROUP FOR SUCCESSION

Tanjug, 1997-06-13

The gold of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia should be included in the overall state property of the former Federation to be divided up among its former members, this issue being the subject of the talks of the Peace Implementation Council Group for Succession, member of the Yugoslav delegation to the talks prof. Dragana Gnjatovic told Tanjug on Friday.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia should not agree as an act of good will to the earlier proposed partial division of the 600 million dollar gold reserves of the SFRY deposited at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, Gnjatovic said, answering a question on whether Thursday's reports that the FRY had agreed to that proposal were true.

The gold should form part of the package of the overall state property of the SFRY which is the subject of negotiations with the newly created states in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, she said.

Gnjatovic explained that only the gold placed jointly in the National Bank after 1918 can be subject to division, as the gold that the Kingdom of Serbia had deposited in the bank prior to 1918 can not be considered as part of the joint property.

At the Group for Succession meeting last week in Brussels, all negotiating sides agreed to have joint financing as one of the criteria for identifying the property of the former Federation, as the Yugoslav delegation has been advocating since the outset of the negotiations five years ago.

Consequently, if some property was not financed jointly, such as the gold from the period of Serbian King Milan Obrenovic (1854-1901), such property can not be divided up, Gnjatovic stated.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia can not be a successor in this regard as it can not inherit from itself, she noted. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has internationally legal continuity with the Kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro, as has been recognized in the agreements signed with Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, Gnjatovic said.

According to International Law, Yugoslavia provided continuity to the Kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, then as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and then successively as the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and, now, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, she said.

Last week in Brussels, Slovenia's delegation asked, among other things, that the FRY should make an act of good will and agree to the earlier proposal of partial division of the gold deposited with the BIS, before the overall property of the former SFRY is identified, Gnjatovic said.

However, as a member of the Yugoslav delegation, Gnjatovic said she believed that FRY should not make such an act of good will. However, a decision to this effect is a question of state policy and of the general resolution of the state and political crisis, she said.

[09] KOSOVO ALBANIANS DO NOT ACCEPT AUTONOMY

Beta, 1997-06-11

The leaders of Albanian political parties in Kosovo assessed as unacceptable the position of the European Union that Kosovo should be granted broad autonomy within the state of Yugoslavia.

The Vice*President of the Kosovo Parliamentary Party, J.Salihaj, stated for the the Pristina daily "Koha Ditore" that the message of the EU was clear, but Kosovo Albanians could only talk about the independence of Kosovo and nothing else.

The Vice*President of the Party for National Unity of Kosovo, T.Geci, said that the positions of Europe were unacceptable because Albanian people in Kosovo had opted for "independence and national unity".

Geci pointed out that the European request for maintaining the Yugoslav borders "is unacceptable and absurd, since the borders have been changed all around Europe".

The Vice*President of the Kosovo Democratic Alliance, F. Agani, stated for "Koha Ditore" that "Albanians do not accept autonomy".

[10] YUGOSLAVIA CALLS FOR A EUROPE OF EQUAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES

Tanjug, 1997-06-14

Yugoslavia calls for a Europe as a house of equal countries and peoples, Vice President of the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia Zivadin Jovanovic has said.

Reviewing the results of a session of the Party's Council for international cooperation, which he chairs, Jovanovic said that Yugoslavia, belonging as it does to Central Europe, the Danube basin, and to the Mediterranean, is naturally oriented toward European integration processes.

'There is no dilemma regarding Yugoslavia's connection to Europe, said Jovanovic and added that this was not a question of will, but of the country's interests and geostrategic position.

On its way to European integrations, Yugoslavia expects equality, respect and relations based on mutual interests, said Jovanovic.

Yugoslavia is not in a position to pledge aid, but it is not economically, or otherwise, in a situation that compels it to concede to unequal conditions in cooperation or to forsake its principles, said Jovanovic.

'We do not support relations based on any hierarchy, but urge respect for the principles of the UN Charter, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Paris Charter,' said Jovanovic.

He recalled the socialists' commitment for the use of Serbia's comparative advantages and economic resources in the process of integration, citing construction of modern roads, high-speed railways, free zones, linkage to navigation routes, integral transportation etc.

He expressed the conviction that Europe was interested in investing in infrastructure in Serbia, in transportation and energetics, as well as road, river and air transport structures.

He said around 60 percent of Yugoslavia's foreign trade was conducted with European countries, and added that about one million Yugoslav citizens lived and worked in Europe.

Yugoslavia is also interested in cooperation with the countries of Asia and Africa. 'We have not abandoned third world countries. We have kept up relations and cooperation with them even during the sanctions, and stepped them up after they were lifted,' Jovanovic said in conclusion.

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