Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-07-14

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] SFOR KILLS ONE SERB, ARRESTS THREE

[02] RS GOVERNMENT CRITICISES SFOR OPERATION IN PRIJEDOR

[03] YUGOSLAV BUILDERS SIGN NEW CONTRACTS WITH FOREIGN PARTNERS

[04] RS LEADERS MEET SENATORS, SERBIAN ORTHODOX OFFICIALS

[05] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT OPENS DEBATE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN RS

[06] JOULWAN CONFIRMS SFOR ACTION - PLAVSIC PROTESTS

[07] KRAJISNIK CONDEMNS SFOR ACTIONS

[08] YUGOS TO BE SOLD IN POLAND

[09] YUGOSLAVIA, RUSSIA AVOIDANCE OF DUAL TAXATION AGREEMENT TAKES EFFECT

[10] MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KRAJISNIK

[11] MILOSEVIC, PLAVSIC : LETTERS

[12] ONLY MILOSEVIC CAN RESOLVE CRISIS IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

[01] SFOR KILLS ONE SERB, ARRESTS THREE

Tanjug, 1997-07-10

The Security Center in Prijedor said that SFOR troops killed Thursday morning the former chief of that center Simo Drljaca, and arrested his son and brother-in-law. The statement specified that the armed action, in which SFOR used helicopters and armoured cars, was carried out in the village of Gradina, near Prijedor. Drljaca,= it was said, was brutally killed, and his body was taken by SFOR troops in an unknown direction. SFOR arrested Drljaca's son and brother-in-law.

The Security Center in Prijedor also said that SFOR troops arrested Thursday, at his work place, the director of the hospital in that town Milan Mica Kovacevic and took him away in an unknown direction.

[02] RS GOVERNMENT CRITICISES SFOR OPERATION IN PRIJEDOR

Tanjug, 1997-07-11

The Republika Srpska Government has expressed its astonishment at and embitterment with a multinational Stabilisation Force operation in Prijedor.

The Government, chaired by Vice Premier Velibor Ostojic in the Prime Minister's absence, said that the operation had marked a change in the peacekeepers' policy in the region and their giving up of the Dayton accords implementation.

The Government said it would take all necessary measures to preserve law and order and all institutions in the Republika Srpska and appealed to the citizens to remain calm and to trust their authorities and institutions.

The Government said that the international community had demonstrated its hypocrisy, made another division to the good and bad guys and started again to satanise the Serbs.

By killing innocent civilians, whose names are on some secret lists, the international factor wishes to deprive the Republika Srpska and Serbs of the right won through their fight and the universal right to self- determination, Ostojic said. He said that the Republika Srpska would not agree to violence, blackmail and occupation, or the unscrupulous and brutal killing of innocent civilians in its territory. The Government said that the Republika Srpska Constitutional Court decision, stopping the implementation of Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic's decisions, had preserved the Republika Srpska institutions, which are constantly in session. The Republika Srpska government expects Plavsic to propose a topic for a government session to be held in the Republika Srpska centre.

[03] YUGOSLAV BUILDERS SIGN NEW CONTRACTS WITH FOREIGN PARTNERS

Tanjug, 1997-07-09

Construction companies in Serbia concluded 15 new contracts with foreign partners in the first four months of 1997, according to the latest Serbian Chamber of Commerce figures.

The total value of the new contracts, the renewed arrangements with foreign partners and those already being carried out total 453 million dollars. The 12 biggest companies which specialize in complex construction undertakings abroad contracted in the first six months of 1997 alone work abroad worth a total of 134 million dollars, according to a poll conducted by the Construction Industry Committee of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Builders set out that they could significantly increase their activities abroad if they were to receive bigger financial backing from the state and commercial banks, especially for guarantees.

[04] RS LEADERS MEET SENATORS, SERBIAN ORTHODOX OFFICIALS

Tanjug, 1997-07-11

The Republika Srpska leadership met late on Thursday with senators, Serbian Orthodox Church officials and intellectuals from the Republika Srpska and Yugoslavia.

The statement released after the session expressed concern over the current conflict in the Republika Srpska, which some international factors are using to undermine the Republika Srpska. The need was stressed for settling the situation as soon as possible.

The participants in the session appealed on the sides to the conflict to stop with recriminations and rallies and find a compromise in order to settle the political and constitutional crisis in the Republika Srpska.

The statement supported the stand that the Republika Srpska Constitutional Court had to have the last say which must be binding for all parties.

The participants condemned the Thursday Stabilisation Force operation in Prijedor as an impermissible act of brutality, which clashes with the Dayton accords and can only hamper the peace process.

The meeting was attended by Bosnian Serb member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik, Republika Srpska Parliament Speaker Dragan Kalinic, Prime Minister Gojko Klickovic, Foreign Minister Aleksa Buha and Serbian Democratic Party Whip at the Republika Srpska Parliament Vojislav Maksimovic. Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic was not in attendance.

[05] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT OPENS DEBATE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN RS

Tanjug, 1997-07-10

The Serbian parliament opened a debate on Thursday afternoon on an action that the Stabilisation Force carried out in Prijedor, the Republika Srpska, earlier in the day. Head of the parliament Committee for ties with Serbs living outside Serbia, Radmilo Bogdanovic, called Thursday's incident a tragedy because a man was killed, saying it was vital at this point to request a thorough investigation into the incident. Bogdanovic said the U.N. Security Council should be called on to determine whether SFOR actions were coordinated with RS authorities. Parliament Speaker Dragan Tomic proposed that the Committee for ties with Serbs outside Serbia adopt conclusions on the issue in its next meeting.

[06] JOULWAN CONFIRMS SFOR ACTION - PLAVSIC PROTESTS

Tanjug, 1997-07-10

NATO supreme allied commander for Europe General George Joulwan confirmed Thursday that SFOR forces had taken action in the region of Prijedor and that they shot dead Simo Drljaca, former police chief in that town and arrested Prijedor hospital director Mica Kovacevic.

Republika Srpska President Biljana PLavsic sent a strongly-worded protest to SFOR commander General Crouch. Such action by SFOR cannot remain without consequences for relations between the leaderships of Republika Srpska and SFOR, Plavsic said in her protest and demanded the release of innocent people who have been arrested. Biljana Plavsic told SFOR commander that it seemed that SFOR's activities were intended to deteriorate further the situation in RS. It is interesting, however, that Plavsic has remembered now to warn of the danger of destabilization in RS. The= degree of her responsibility and lack of knowledge of the situation, which she has refused to calm down, is clear.

[07] KRAJISNIK CONDEMNS SFOR ACTIONS

Tanjug, 1997-07-10

Republika Srpska member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik has condemned the SFOR action Thursday in Prijedor and described it as a crime by the international force. A s= tatement issued by Krajisnik's cabinet says that the persons responsible for the crime must be identified immediately so that their commanding officers can punish them and prevent a repetition of such actions. This is the only way that the consequences of such irresponsible adventures can be brought under control and that peace in the region and consequently the Dayton agreement can be saved, Krajisnik said. It is dangerous and unethical to take advantage of the internal political crisis in Republika Srpska and undertake actions jeopardising everything that has been achieved so far, he said. Krajisnik appealed to all states guaranteeing the Dayton agreement, above all the United States, to curb the ambitious and irresponsible behaviour of their field commanders and to give up once and for all the idea of arresting people in their own country in order to have them put on trial elsewhere. Republika Srpska is ready to put on trial before the international public any of its citizens form whom evidence of crimes can be presented, Krajisnik said. He appealed to Republika Srpska citizens to refrain from any retaliation in which innocent young foreign soldiers or officials could be hurt, and to maintain law and order. The international community must choose its priorities: peace or suspect adventurism and unfounded harassment of people, kidnapping of children and killing of suspects, Krajisnik said, adding that peace concluded after a civil war must be followed by full amnesty, and that each side must as a rule try its own suspects of violations of the war law.

[08] YUGOS TO BE SOLD IN POLAND

Tanjug, 1997-07-10

The Yugoslav car producer Zastava is returning to the Polish market.

The company has contracted the export of 1,000 Yugo vehicles in parts, which will be assembled through the Davismotor company in a factory in Lodz. The Polish partner is interested in buying larger quantities of vehicles, but the realisation depends on Zastava's abilities. Zastava will produce 20,000 cars this year and plans to export half of this quantity. Most of its exports, or 7,680 Zastava 128 cars, will go to Egypt. The factory has already delivered 2,880 of these vehicles. Other buyers of Zastava cars this year include the Czech Republic (800), Ecuador (500), Greece, Macedonia, Slovenia. The factory's exports should total 210 million dollars this year.

[09] YUGOSLAVIA, RUSSIA AVOIDANCE OF DUAL TAXATION AGREEMENT TAKES EFFECT

Tanjug, 1997-07-09

Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulajic and Russian Ambassador in Belgrade Yuri Kotov exchanged Wednesday ratification instruments of the agreement on avoidance of dual taxation.

A statement issued by the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry said the agreement, which had in this way gone into effect, was vital because it would stimulate the promotion of economic cooperation between Russia and Yugoslavia.

The agreement is not only expected to make cooperation between the two sides more efficient but also to direct partners to intensify their joint scientific, technical, economic, trade and other activities and stimulate higher forms of cooperation and the creation of joint enterprises.

[10] MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KRAJISNIK

Tanjug, 1997-07-09

Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic received Wednesday the Republika Srpska member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik to discuss the most important issues regarding the political situation in Republika Srpska and the latter's future development.

The current crisis in Republika Srpska can be resolved successfully only through cooperation of state and political institutions in line with the Constitution, Milosevic and Krajisnik noted.

Consistent implementation of the spirit and letter of the Dayton agreement is in the vital interest of Republika Srpska and has a far-reaching significance for stability in the region, they underlined.

President Milosevic and Krajisnik share the view that all Republika Srpska institutions must abide by the law and order. In that sense, the fight against grey economy and all forms of crime is a priority task in eliminating the effects of the war in the region, they said.

President Milosevic said that all parties to the present confrontation of Republika Srpska institutions must take a step back, prior to achieving unity in the realization of their functions in line with the Constitution and with the need for united activities in the implementation of the Dayton agreement, which would realize the interests of Republika Srpska and its citizens.

Krajisnik said that cooperation and collective activities would be the best way of overcoming the present crisis and that all endeavors of the Pale leadership and his own were directed to that end. Unity and concord are necessary in order to successfully realize the vital interests of Republika Srpska and its citizens. The realization of these interests is incompatible with the confrontation of political institutions and depends on joint search for solutions to problems, without intransigence and with a sense of responsibility for protecting the interests in the best possible way, Krajisnik said.

Milosevic expressed satisfaction with the constructive approach and said he hoped endeavors to that end would be pursued in order to overcome the present problems.

[11] MILOSEVIC, PLAVSIC : LETTERS

Tanjug, 1997-07-09

President Slobodan Milosevic, who invited Tuesday Republika Srpska Chairman in the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik and Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic to come to Belgrade to discuss ways of overcoming the crisis in Republika Srpska in the interest of the Republic's citizens, received a reply from Biljana Plavsic late Tuesday.

The reply said: "I thank you for your letter and your concern for the newly created situation in Republika Srpska. I want you to know that I have offered compromise solutions on several occasions in contacts with Bosnia- Herzegovina Presidency member Momcilo Krajisnik. Regrettably, the reply I received each time was: 'Come to Pale and join the existing policy.' If you think that a solution can be found after those words, words which were repeated on several occasions and which I do not accept, I invite you to come to Banjaluka for us to discuss the fate of the people of Republika Srpska on Republika Srpska territory.

After I was detained at and deported from Belgrade airport on June 29 this year, I am not in a position to accept to come to Belgrade for a meeting. With respect, Republika Srpska President, Biljana Plavsic"

President Milosevic sent a letter to Biljana Plavsic Wednesday.

The letter said: "My efforts are based on my position that a solution to the newly emerged crisis must be found in the interest of the people and Republika Srpska and not of either Pale or Banjaluka.

For as long as you are for Banjaluka and the other side for Pale, it will not be good for either Banjaluka or Pale, or for the people in Republika Srpska. A solution to the crisis is in unity and not in conflict and divisions between Pale and Banjaluka.

Siding with Pale or Banjaluka can place Republika Srpska in great danger and undermine the vital interests of both the people and the Republic.

The people in Republika Srpska needs neither defeat nor victory in either the Republic's eastern or western part but needs the success of the whole Republic.

At this difficult time, I expect of politicians to defend the interests of the people and not their own vanities.

My invitation remains open. My sincere wishes are that you will not be too late. Slobodan Milosevic"

[12] ONLY MILOSEVIC CAN RESOLVE CRISIS IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

Tanjug, 1997-07-09

Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Gojko Klickovic called on the actors of the constitutional crisis in Republika Srpska to make compromises so that talks could begin.

He said the situation was not as bad as it looked, adding that things were moving ahead.

Asked if the crisis in the leadership could be overcome by forces at home, or if anyone had to intervene, Klickovic said if anyone should mediate, it should be Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

I met with Milosevic a few times and we talked without any ideological barriers, said Klickovic.

He said it was no accident that the crisis should happen now, on the eve of the local elections in September, as the elections were the last chance for those who wished Republika Srpska to be swallowed up by Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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