Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-10-15

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Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC MEETS PLAVSIC AND KRAJISNIK

[02] YUGOSLAV-CHINESE CONSULTATIONS

[03] WIDE POSSIBILITIES FOR YUGOSLAV-CZECH ECONOMIC COOPERATION

[04] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED CHINESE FIRST DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

[05] YUGOSLAV-RUSSIAN TALKS IN MOSCOW

[06] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO ATTEND CONFERENCE IN ATHENS

[07] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION TO ATTEND MEETING OF BALKAN CENTRAL BANKS IN ISTANBUL

[08] SOLANA: NATO WILL NOT LEAVE BOSNIA NEXT YEAR

[09] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER KONTIC RECEIVED CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER ZIELENIEC

[10] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT RECEIVED THE OUTGOING BRITISH AMBASSADOR

[11] COOPERATION BETWEEN SERBIA AND DANUBE BASIN COUNTRIES

[12] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER ZIELENIEC

[13] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA INTERIOR MINISTER: POLICE OBSERVES AGREEMENTS

[14] SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION'S VISIT TO VOJVODINA OPENS COOPERATION PROSPECTS

[15] FRY*JORDAN: ACCORD ON COOPERATION IN HEALTH

[16] PRIME MINISTER KONTIC RECEIVED JORDANIAN HEALTH MINISTER

[17] MARJANOVIC AND SAINOVIC ARRIVED IN MOSCOW

[18] KRAJISNIK: REPUBLIKA SRPSKA WILL REMAIN UNITED

[19] CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN BELGRADE

[20] GERMAN TROOPS TO REMAIN IN BOSNIA AFTER EXPIRY OF SFOR MANDATE

[21] TALKS ON ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE EDUCATION INTERRUPTED

[22] BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER SAID TELEVISION WILL TAKE NO DICTATES

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC MEETS PLAVSIC AND KRAJISNIK

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic met in Belgrade with Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic and President from Republika Srpska on the Bosnia- Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik.

Plavsic and Krajisnik said the Belgrade agreement had big importance for settling the crisis in Republika Srpska and that, in that sense, they urged its further due realization.

They both agreed to comply with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) suggestions to postpone parliamentary elections for a week so that the OSCE could get adequately prepared - that the elections be held on November 23 instead of November 15.

[02] YUGOSLAV-CHINESE CONSULTATIONS

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Yugoslav and Chinese First Deputy Foreign Ministers held consultations on Monday at the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry.

The Yugoslav side was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulajic and the Chinese delegation by his counterpart Jang Denguang.

The meeting focused on bilateral cooperation and its development, especially in political and economic fields, as well as on bilateral cooperation as regards international developments.

[03] WIDE POSSIBILITIES FOR YUGOSLAV-CZECH ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic and his Czech counterpart Josef Zieleniec, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, concluded official talks on Monday by signing an Agreement between their two countries on the mutual stimulation and protection of investments.

Milutinovic told journalists that this has practically paved a wide path for two-sided economic cooperation. "In today's talks we assessed this cooperation as the key to the entire further development of our bilateral, friendly and already traditionally good relations," Milutinovic said.

He added that Zieleniec and he had used the opportunity created by their first official meeting to exchange views on the situation and prospects of relations and cooperation between the two countries.

"We concluded with pleasure that the people of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and the Czech Republic are linked by friendship expressed during certain important and serious moments of our histories, as was confirmed in contacts and results achieved in different spheres of our entire cooperation," Milutinovic said. He emphasised that this "obliges all of us, as well as the future generations, to carefully nurture and promote these joint achievements."

Milutinovic said that "the need for the regular holding of such meetings and for establishing the continuity of political dialogue at all levels" was concluded. He said that this should enable, through joint efforts, the overcoming of obstacles in relations and cooperation which occurred over the past few years and added that these relations should be returned to earlier levels.

Milutinovic set out that the talks also focused on the promotion of economic cooperation.

"We concluded that the current level of trade is far beneath the needs and possibilities of our economies and that concrete measures to step up the overall economic relations are necessary," Milutinovic said. He added that his Czech counterpart and he had agreed that the first results, achieved this year, are very encouraging and that it is necessary to continue in this fashion.

"We believe that the just signed Agreement on mutual stimulation and protection of investments will positively affect the dynamization of trade as well as other forms of economic cooperation," Milutinovic said.

He said that the two sides had in view the need for developing higher forms of cooperation, such as industrial cooperation, mixed firms, joint ventures on third markets and the establishing of closer financial and banking cooperation.

"We agreed that property transformation in Yugoslavia offers possibilities for the presence of Czech capital in our economy," Milutinovic said.

He set out that the talks had also focused on the situation in the region.

"We confirmed our joint interest for the consistent implementation of the Dayton-Paris and Erdut agreements, without one-sided interpretations or changes which would threaten the already positive trend in the development of the peace process," Milutinovic said.

He said that the talks underscored that the active participation and essential contribution of FRY in the establishing and strengthening of peace in the region render Yugoslavia a major factor for the stability of the region, and thus in Europe.

"We concluded that for the complete stabilization of the situation in the region and its inclusion in modern European trends, of great importance are the various forms of regional cooperation which should be complementary and open to all countries of the region. We agreed that the full reintegration of FRY in the international community is necessary and in the interest of all," Milutinovic said.

"Minister Zieleniec's visit and our talks have confirmed the mutual interest and readiness to promote relations between our two countries in all spheres. This is why we believe that today's talks are useful and an undoubtedly significant stimulus in that direction," Milutinovic said.

Zieleniec expressed satisfaction that he had come to Belgrade and set out that this represents a sign of the improved and extended relations between the two countries, as well as a sign of improvement in the region in general.

Zieleniec said that "friendship and the traditional relations between the two countries are a good starting point for the further development of their relations."

He said that the promotion of relations and strengthening of cooperation between FRY and the Czech Republic had also been one of the main topics of his talks with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and Federal Prime Minister Radoje Kontic.

[04] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED CHINESE FIRST DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Monday Chinese First Deputy Foreign Minister Jang Denguang, who is on an official visit to Yugoslavia.

Both sides voiced satisfaction with the intensive development of bilateral relations between Yugoslavia and China, relations which are based on a strong friendship and mutual confidence between the two peoples and the successful achievement of joint interests.

Yugoslavia highly values the positive stance and support lent by China to Yugoslavia's efforts to strengthen the equality of states and peoples in the world and consolidate peace and regional stability, in which one of its major points of departure is the principle that each country decides its own future.

Yugoslavia wishes to develop dynamic economic and other ties with China, bearing in mind wide possibilities for cooperation in industry, agriculture, trade, science, culture and other domains in which joint ventures and activities have been on an upturn.

Yugoslav Assistant Foreign Minister Dragan Vucicevic and Chinese Ambassador in Belgrade Zhu Ankang also attended.

[05] YUGOSLAV-RUSSIAN TALKS IN MOSCOW

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic, Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic, Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister Borislav Vukovic and Yugoslav Ambassador in Moscow Danilo Markovic held talks with the leadership of the Russian firm Gasprom.

In a lengthy talk with Gasprom President, the Yugoslav delegation examined details of the realisation of an agreement signed earlier between Yugoslavia and Russia on gas deliveries.

The delegation is expected to meet on Tuesday with Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin.

[06] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO ATTEND CONFERENCE IN ATHENS

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

A delegation of the Yugoslav Federal Parliament, headed by Chamber of Citizens Speaker Milomir Minic, leaves on Tuesday for Athens to participate in the Conference of the parliament speakers of southeast Europe, the Federal Parliament has said.

The Yugoslav delegation also includes the President of the Foreign Relations Board of the Federal Parliament's Chamber of Citizens Ljubisa Ristic, the Secretary of the Chamber of Citizens Perisa Jovanovic and the Secretary of the Chamber of Citizens' Foreign Policy Board Dusan Maksic.

The two-day Conference in Athens will consider ways for strengthening cooperation between parliaments in the region, the initiative for the setting up of a Consultative Parliamentary Assembly of southeast European countries and possibilities for the more active participation of parliaments in the political developments of the region.

In Athens, Minic and the Yugoslav parliamentary delegation are expected to have several top-level bilateral meetings.

[07] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION TO ATTEND MEETING OF BALKAN CENTRAL BANKS IN ISTANBUL

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

A delegation of the National Bank of Yugoslavia will take part in a two-day meeting of Balkan countries' Central Bank governors opening in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday. =0D

The delegation, made up of National Bank of Yugoslavia Governor Dusan Vlatkovic and member of the National Bank of Yugoslavia Council Djordje Djukic, has been invited to the meeting by Turkey's Central Bank Governor, the National Bank of Yugoslavia Governor's Office said.

[08] SOLANA: NATO WILL NOT LEAVE BOSNIA NEXT YEAR

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana on Monday urged that NATO troops remain in Bosnia after the expiry of their current mandate next year, Reuters said.

NATO will not turn its back on Bosnia. That would be not only contrary to its interests, but would represent a tragic mistake, Solana told a regular annual session of the North Atlantic Assembly (NAA) in Bucharest.

The deadline for the withdrawal of NATO troops from Bosnia is June 1998, but no decision has been made yet about whether the Stabilization Force (SFOR), numbering 36,000 men, will be replaced.

Solana also said NATO was determined to maintain its presence in Bosnia in order to secure the further cementing of peace in that Balkan country, he said. He said, however, that NATO troops would not remain in Bosnia indefinitely and strongly rejected demands by certain western politicians that the Dayton Peace Accords should be abandoned.

Solana was categoric in claiming that such a course would be disastrous - morally, politically, and economically.

[09] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER KONTIC RECEIVED CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER ZIELENIEC

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic received on Monday Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec.

Kontic and Zieleniec concluded that the positive experiences from the past and the high level of former relations highlighted the significant possibilities for the faster establishing of comprehensive Yugoslav-Czech cooperation.

Both sides set out that the current level of foreign trade, amounting to some 100 million dollars per year, is ten-fold down on the earlier period.

Kontic and Zieleniec positively assessed the latest development of economic cooperation characterized by the revival of trade, business and other contacts.

At the same time, efforts have been intensified for adopting all kinds of important inter*state agreements for the speedy development of comprehensive Yugoslav-Czech relations.

Kontic said that Zieleniec's visit is a strong stimulus to the revival of the Yugoslav-Czech political dialogue which is lagging behind the resumed economic cooperation between the two countries following the lifting of the international sanctions against Yugoslavia.

Kontic underscored interest for the promotion of economic cooperation and various forms of investing Czech capital into FRY.

Kontic and Zieleniec said that the return of FRY into international political, financial, trade and other organizations would be the best contribution to the peace process. Zieleniec concluded that "without an advanced and democratic Yugoslavia, there can be no stability in the region."

[10] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT RECEIVED THE OUTGOING BRITISH AMBASSADOR

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic received on Monday in Podgorica the outgoing British Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ivor Roberts who is paying a farewell visit to Montenegro.

Bulatovic and Roberts pointed to the good cooperation between Yugoslavia and Britain and expressed hope it would continue developing in all fields.

They exchanged views on the political situation in Yugoslavia and Montenegro and expressed conviction that the political processes under way constituted a new phase which should bring about progress in the development of democracy and prosperity.

Yugoslavia will thus remain a decisive factor of peace and stability in the Balkans, they said.

President Bulatovic thanked Ambassador Roberts for his contribution to the successful development of bilateral relations and to the intensification of cooperation between Montenegro and Britain in political, economic, scientific and cultural fields, and wished him well in his future activities.

[11] COOPERATION BETWEEN SERBIA AND DANUBE BASIN COUNTRIES

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Serbian Vice-Prime Minister Milutin Stojkovic said on Monday upon his return from Odessa, Ukraine, where he attended the 8th Conference of the Working Community of Danube Basin Countries, that the Conference had been a success.

Stojkovic told journalists that the Conference had been attended by government representatives from Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldavia and the Ukraine.

He set out that Serbia's status in this organization had been reactivated and that "the doors are wide open for cooperation with the Danube basin countries," as Serbia is the founder of the Community.

Stojkovic said that Serbia was praised for its entire contribution to the work of the Community and that Serbia would chair the Working Group for water protection and host the Working Group for landscaping and the environment in 1998.

"Serbia will also chair the Working Group for transport and shipping in 1998 when the 50th Anniversary of the Danube convention will be marked," Stojkovic said.

He emphasised that the Conference adopted Serbia's proposal for the project "Ecology Status of the Danube" and the initiative for the organization of the symposium "Literature in the Languages of Minorities Living in the Danube Basin."

During the five-day Conference, Stojkovic discussed with its participants the promotion or revival of economic cooperation, especially in the sphere of transport, tourism, culture, science and sports.

Stojkovic said that the leaders of the Odessa region had shown special interest in cooperation and that it was agreed that a delegation of Odessa would visit Serbia.

Asked about foreign trade cooperation with Germany and Austria, Stojkovic said that the representatives of these countries expressed readiness for comprehensive cooperation and that concrete agreements had been reached in Odessa.

[12] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER ZIELENIEC

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Monday Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Jozef Zieleniec, who is on an official visit to Yugoslavia.

It was established in the talk that the development of bilateral relations between Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic was positive.

In view of the joint interests, especially in economic cooperation, the two sides voiced readiness to step up the process of the setting up of economic ties, based on experiences in mutual industrial and cooperation in other fields.

Views were exchanged on current international issues of significance for peace and stability in Europe. The two sides assessed that relations of equality and mutual understanding, coupled with the acknowledgement of distinctive features and differences, can best be developed through regular political dialogue.

The talk was attended also by Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic, Czech Ambassador in Belgrade Ivan Busniak, and Yugoslav Ambassador in Prague Djoko Stojicic.

[13] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA INTERIOR MINISTER: POLICE OBSERVES AGREEMENTS

Tanjug, 1997-10-11

Republika Srpska Interior Minister Slavko Paleksic on Saturday described relations with the Bosnia Stabilisation Force as better than ever.

Paleksic thanked SFOR Commander Eric Shinseki for the operation in which SFOR had separated "Banja Luka paramilitary police and legal Interior Ministry members in Tromedje between Prnjavor and Derventa."

Paleksic said that relations with SFOR had "significantly improved, because we have agreed and all conditions have been met for starting the reconstruction and reorganisation" of the Interior Ministry, primarily the Special Police Brigade.

He said that his proposal had been accepted to carry out the reconstruction of the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry in Trebinje on October 16-17, in Brcko on October 23-24 and in Doboj on November 7-8.

Paleksic explained that the term reconstruction meant the testing of policemen's knowledge of police rules and their physical ability and said that the Republika Srpska Interior Ministry would afterwards make identification cards, which would be checked by the International Police Task Force.

Paleksic said he expected that the majority of policemen would pass the tests and that the Republika Srpska would have an internationally-approved police force.

"We have done all in our power to fully implement the Dayton Accords, and we will not deviate from it," Paleksic said.

[14] SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION'S VISIT TO VOJVODINA OPENS COOPERATION PROSPECTS

Tanjug, 1997-10-10

A four-day visit to Vojvodina of a delegation of South Africa's Northern Province has shown that there are great prospects for bilateral cooperation, the Vojvodina Information Secretariat said in a statement issued on Friday.

The statement said that the South African delegation had shown major interest in cooperation in the areas of agriculture, agricultural engineering, technological innovations and environmental protection, especially in the domain of scientific and research projects that had already won recognition on foreign markets.

To that end, the delegation met also with Head of the Novi Sad University Olga Hadzic and visited the University's Medical School and Faculties of Agriculture and Technology, said the statement.

It said that the two sides had stressed the need for an exchange of achievements in science and education and also for an exchange of students and lecturers.

The statement also said that the South African delegation had visited Vojvodina's agricultural and processing plants and other food-processing companies and agricultural produce manufacturers, whose line of production were in demand on the South African market, and was impressed with their results.

The delegation showed interest also in environmental protection, and, in the area of culture, in cooperation between cultural clubs, artists and other cultural associations and authors, the statement said.

[15] FRY*JORDAN: ACCORD ON COOPERATION IN HEALTH

Tanjug, 1997-10-10

Yugoslav Minister for Health and Social Policy Miroslav Ivanisevic and Jordanian Minister of Health and Health Care Assraf Al Kurdi signed on Friday an Agreement on mutual cooperation of the two countries in the fields of health, medical science and pharmacy.

According to Ivanisevic, the cooperation plan between FRY and Jordan in the field of health involves training and education of Jordanian medical personnel in our country, Yugoslav aid to Jordan in building rehabilitation centers, primarily cardio-vascular institutions, and the opening of possibilities for the development of health tourism.

Ivanisevic added that this is yet another accord signed by the FRY in the field of health, confirming Yugoslavia's commitment to renew international cooperation.

Jordanian Minister Al Kurdi expressed hope that the positive effects of the agreement will be visible in the near future and added that this was an agreement between two friendly countries who wish to deepen their links.

[16] PRIME MINISTER KONTIC RECEIVED JORDANIAN HEALTH MINISTER

Tanjug, 1997-10-10

Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic conferred on Friday with Jordanian Health Minister Ashraf al-Kurdi, who headed a Jordanian delegation on a several-day visit to Yugoslavia.

The two sides voiced satisfaction with the renewal of cooperation between the two traditionally friendly countries after an interval of several years due to justified reasons, a Government statement said.

It was set out in the meeting that the interest displayed by the two sides and the agreements reached by them in the past few days in the domain of health were an indication that the bilateral cooperation would quickly pick up and surpass the previous level.

The two sides underscored the need for stepped-up work on inter-state agreements, above all those on the protection of investments and the avoidance of dual taxation.

Prime Minister Kontic suggested the renewal of top-level political dialogue between the two countries. He accepted an invitation from his Jordanian counterpart to visit the Hashemite Kingdom and an invitation for a return visit of the Yugoslav Health Minister.

The two sides agreed that they had both the interest and potentials to promote economic cooperation in keeping with their friendship, which Kontic and al-Kurdi set out had not been disrupted even at the time of grave trials during the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, the Government statement said.

[17] MARJANOVIC AND SAINOVIC ARRIVED IN MOSCOW

Tanjug, 1997-10-12

Serbian Premier Mirko Marjanovic and Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic arrived in Moscow on Sunday, accompanied by their associates.

A statement issued by the Serbian Information Ministry said the visit was aimed at boosting economic cooperation between Yugoslavia and Russia and in particular at improving still further the existing gas deal.

Marjanovic and Sainovic are to discuss the matter with Russian Government officials and businessmen, the statement said.

[18] KRAJISNIK: REPUBLIKA SRPSKA WILL REMAIN UNITED

Tanjug, 1997-10-10

Republika Srpska member in Bosnia's three-man Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik has stated that a united Republika Srpska will be preserved.

In an interview to the Novi Sad magazine Nedeljni Dnevnik, Krajisnik said Moslems' chief problem was that they wanted more and more territories all the time and wanted all Bosnia to belong to them, which he said someone had promised to them. He said this was never going to happen.

Referring to Bosnia's September local elections, Krajisnik said the aim had been to create a different Bosnia and to form a large number of municipalities where a minority in an entity, primarily Moslems in the Republika Srpska, would hold power, and where a concept urged by backers of R.S. President Biljana Plavsic would be affirmed - a concept of firmer ties and of the Republika Srpska merging into Bosnia or even of its being divided, the latter concept being hidden behind the former.

He said the Republika Srpska would be preserved despite a strong pressure exerted on it through a discriminatory manner in which economic aid was granted to the Moslem-Croat Federation only.

He said there were two plans, saying one of them provided for the merging of the Republika Srpska into Bosnia-Herzegovina through the setting up of Bosnia's common bodies while the other was to tear apart the Republika Srpska from within.

He said the worst fate possible had befallen the Republika Srpska and that was that its President was in the service of those who wanted to carry out the plans, saying the Republika Srpska was under a serious threat. "We alone are acting to our disadvantage and we alone are trying to achieve what a foreign factor, meaning our opponents, has failed to achieve," he said.

Referring to a possibility of the forcible arrest of Radovan Karadzic, Krajisnik said that would be a fatal mistake on the part of the international community which would elicit a strong response by the R.S. people and would, consequently, jeopardise the Dayton Peace Accords.

[19] CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN BELGRADE

Tanjug, 1997-10-13

Czech Foreign Minister and Vice-Premier Josef Zieleniec arrived on an official visit to Yugoslavia on Monday.

Zieleniec arrived on a one-day visit at the invitation of Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic.

[20] GERMAN TROOPS TO REMAIN IN BOSNIA AFTER EXPIRY OF SFOR MANDATE

Tanjug, 1997-10-11

German troops will remain in Bosnia once the mandate of the NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) expires, German Defence Minister Folker Ruehe has said confirming what has been guessed for a long time.

In an interview to the German weekly Der Spiegel, Ruehe said the new multinational force would be called Deterrence Force (DFOR) and its numbers would be smaller than 36,000-strong SFOR.

Minister Ruehe's statement has confirmed what appears to have been agreed on in a recent meeting of NATO defence ministers in Maastricht, the Netherlands, and what was finally defined in a meeting of the chiefs of U.S., French, British and German army staffs in Bonn on Friday.

Bonn has engaged all forces available to repatriate in the shortest time possible 280,000 refugees that are still sheltering in Germany. Special Bundeswehr units, speaking Serbian and familiar with the terrain, are in the field trying to find safe repatriation routes. Government official Dietmar Schlee is in charge of the civilian aspect of the repatriation, while German provinces have offered moderate financial assistance to refugees in an attempt to prompt them to return home.

In addition to the issue of repatriation of refugees, which Germany received in great numbers at the outbreak of civil war in Bosnia- Herzegovina, German politicians are preoccupied with bringing war crimes indictees before the Hague-based international War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

In this connection, Ruehe told Der Spiegel that Radovan Karadzic, former Bosnian Serb leader, must go to The Hague either of his own free will or must be taken there forcibly. He said preparations for Karadzic's arrest were under way.

[21] TALKS ON ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE EDUCATION INTERRUPTED

Tanjug, 1997-10-10

The 3+3 Working Group in charge of the implementation of an agreement on the normalisation of education for ethnic Albanian students in Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija, interrupted its talks, which started in Pristina on Thursday and resumed in Belgrade on Friday, because the Albanian side had changed its stand, it was said at the Serbian Government on Friday.

On behalf of the government-appointed members of the Group, member Goran Percevic said that they were ready to continue working on the normalisation of education in the Province.

Percevic told reporters that the Group had worked on the implementation of the agreement on the normalisation of education in Kosovo and Metohija on Thursday and Friday.

He said that the Albanian side had on Thursday accepted solutions and conclusions leading to the normalisation but that on Friday it had refused what it had accepted on Thursday. "What we have here is obviously an insincere approach to the talks," Percevic said.

As for the Albanian side's intentions, one must wonder whether they deal with education or separatism. It turned out that the issue here is sheer separatism, Percevic said.

Percevic said, "As for our side, we are for a full observation of human freedoms and rights and normalisation of education for ethnic Albanian children and youth. On behalf of our part of the Working Group I declare that we are ready to resume work on the normalisation of the education system," Percevic said.

[22] BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER SAID TELEVISION WILL TAKE NO DICTATES

Tanjug, 1997-10-11

The Premier of the (Bosnian Serb) Republika Srpska said on Saturday that intra-Serb tension between Banja Luka and Pale had been eased.

Premier Goran Klickovic said that tension had been relaxed, except for an attempt by the Banja Luka Public Security Centre to seize police stations in Derventa, Srpski Brod and Teslic earlier this week.

Klickovic, together with Interior Minister Slavko Paleksic, toured the Police Academy in Doboj.

Klickovic said that the international community's efforts to postpone presidential elections in the Republika Srpska were designed to circumvent the Belgrade accord between Momcilo Krajisnik and Biljana Plavsic. "The Belgrade accord will have to be implemented, and I do not see how this accord could in any way affect the United States," he said.

"Europeans, however, are of the view that parliamentary and presidential elections should be held simultaneously, or separately, but within a very short time of each other," he added.

"The latest developments are threatening to plunge the Republika Srpska into a unitary Bosnia- Herzegovina, which is something we do not want to happen," he said.

"The Republika Srpska wants only to implement the Dayton Accord, i.e., to live and work in normal conditions and to trade with its neighbours," he said.

He said that, by seizing Bosnian Serb Radio and Television transmitters, the international peace Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina "wants in fact to upset the Belgrade accord at all costs." According to Klickovic, this only shows that Serb Radio and Television is not to somebody's liking.

"We have said that we do not want a conflict with the international community and SFOR, because the seizure of the transmitters is not the fault of the soldiers, who only carry out orders, but of those who issue the orders," he said.

"We shall never give in to blackmail of Serb Radio and Television by the international community, not even if the transmitters were never to be released again," he vowed.

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