Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-09-23

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] BULATOVIC SAYS CABINET RESHUFFLE POSSIBLE

[02] DISPLACED SERBS SEND LETTER OF PROTEST TO U.N., U.S., COUNCIL OF EUROPE

[03] RUSSIA OPPOSES USE OF FORCE IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA * FOREIGN MINISTER

[04] SERBIAN POLICE OFFICIAL ON EVIDENT SUCCESS IN FIGHTING TERRORISTS

[05] JANKOVIC: 927 PERSONS INVESTIGATED IN CONNECTION WITH TERRORISM

[06] SERBIAN MINISTER JANKOVIC RECEIVES ICRC DELEGATION

[07] KOSOVO-METOHIJA IS TESTING GROUND FOR CRUSHING YUGOSLAVIA * MINISTER

[08] LILIC: KOSOVO AND METOHIJA NEEDS PEACE, UNDERSTANDING

[09] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS CROATIAN, CHILEAN COUNTERPARTS

[10] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION VISITS ROMANIA

[11] CHINA: INTEREST IN ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA

[12] YUGOSLAV OFFICIAL RECEIVES CHINESE DELEGATION

[01] BULATOVIC SAYS CABINET RESHUFFLE POSSIBLE

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic said on Tuesday there could be a Cabinet reshuffle, to be done as early as possible, so as to make better use of the nation's potentials. Bulatovic told this to reporters after a n assembly session of the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce.

Asked if the new Cabinet would include representatives of the Serbian Ra dical Party and the Serbian Renewal Party, Bulatovic replied it was possi ble, adding that depended on current political interests.

[02] DISPLACED SERBS SEND LETTER OF PROTEST TO U.N., U.S., COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

The Committee for Croatia of the Association for Assistance to Refugees in Yugoslavia has sent a letter to the U.N. Security Council, the United States and the Council of Europe in which it protests that the internatio nal community has done nothing for the past seven years to help the 470,0 00 displaced Serbs return to Croatia and get back their property, Associa tion's representatives told a news conference on Tuesday. The letter said that whereas private property was sacrosanct in the West, displaced Serb s had to seek in writing of Croatia to return their private property to t hem.

You have permitted Croatia, in your presence and under your protection, to allow only individual Serbs to return, although 230,000 Serbs were dri ven out in only a few days in August 1995, the letter said.

It drew attention to the very difficult humanitarian situation in which refugees in Yugoslavia find themselves, especially those from Croatia, bu t said that international humanitarian organizations were bypassing refug ee centres and showing interest only in displaced ethnic Albanians in Ser bia's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

We applaud the concern for the affected population in Kosovo and Metohij a and the international community's efforts to eliminate conflicts, but w e cannot but remember the day-and-night bombardment of columns of Serb re fugees in August 1995. Where was the international community then and why did it permit that Serbs in Croatia, who had enjoyed equality, be consig ned to the scrap heap of European civilization, the letter stressed.

The Serb refugees and displaced Serbs from Croatia underscored their dis satisfaction with the international community's sanctions against Yugosla via, which they said affected the ordinary people, especially the 700,000 refugees.

[03] RUSSIA OPPOSES USE OF FORCE IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA * FOREIGN MINISTER

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on Tuesday warned against the dange r of resorting to the law of force in international affairs and specified that the situation in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo-Metohija Province could be settled by political means alone.

Speaking at a United Nations General Assembly session, Ivanov said that "political logic must prevail over the logic of force in our search for w ays to settle" the situation in Kosovo-Metohija. "It is our firm belief t hat a political solution is the only possible way of settling the problem of Kosovo, with broad autonomy granted to it and ensuring strict respect for the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," he said.

He warned that the use of force to resolve the conflict in Kosovo-Metohi ja might lead to a big war with unforeseeable consequences for the Balkan region and Europe at large.

During his speech, Ivanov more than once warned of the consequences of a hasty use of force in the settlement of international problems and also criticized other mechanisms such as sanctions often resorted to under the pressure by major powers.

He said that Russia's foreign policy would continue to be as consistent and constructive as it had been before the latest Government reshuffle an d underlined that Russia called for such an international policy in which the force of law would prevail.

Ivanov stressed Russia's assertion of the force of law rather than the l aw of force in international affairs. He said that the use of other metho ds to solve problems must strictly be regulated by international laws and principles, primarily by the U.N. Charter.

Referring to factors of destabilization in international relations, Ivan ov pointed to an enormous threat of militant separatism. Relying on extre mist methods of fighting by minority groups in multi-national states, sep aratism is on the same wave length as terrorism and religious fanaticism , he said.

He warned against the dangerous tendency to adjust the United Nations to somebody's needs or substitute it in the peace making. "It is impossible to allow a precedent in the use of a military potential in crisis situat ion without the consent of the Security Council," Ivanov said and added t hat "such moves would be fraught with a serious undermining of the shole existent system of international relations, whose central element the Uni ted Nations is."

Ivanov criticized also the use of sanctions, which he said required a ma ximum weighed attitude. He said that the sanctions introduced by the Secu rity Council must not become a way to counteract governments disliked by someone and that they must not harm the population or destabilize the eco nomic situation in the country.

[04] SERBIAN POLICE OFFICIAL ON EVIDENT SUCCESS IN FIGHTING TERRORISTS

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

The political situation in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija has larg ely been stabilised and the results in fighting terrorist groups are evid ent, Serbian Interior Ministry Spokesman Col. Bozidar Filic said in Pris tina on Tuesday. Speaking at a news conference, Filic said that a special result in the stabilisation of the situation was the fact that inhabitan ts of more than 50 villages in Kosovo and Metohija had set up local secu rity.

They cooperate with local and municipal authorities and take all the nec essary measures for the normalisation of life in their villages, assist t he population and distribute humanitarian aid. Filic said that an additio nal proof that the situation had been normalised and full freedom of move ment ensured was the restoration of public transport on the roads which h ad been blocked for a long time.

There are presently no terrorist operations or unsheltered civilians in the territory of Metohija, Filic said and added that all people had retur ned to their homes or had been assisted in some other way.

If terrorist operations recur, police will be ready to prevent them effi caciously, Filic said.

He said that police had reliable information that parts of crushed terro rist groups from Metohija and Drenica, especially from the region of the village of Likovac from which they had launched attacks at police units i n the past three days, had withdrawn to the region of Mt Cicavica.

It is believed that these groups include a large number of perpetrators of crimes and those who have taken part in the kidnapping of civilians. P olice also have information that kidnapped persons were in this region. O n the basis of this information, police blocked the area wide around Cica vica and organised a search. All measures have been taken aimed at protec ting civilians, Filic said.

Officers on the ground are in contact with local civilians, who are give n timely information about roads which they can use safely, Filic said.

He denied reports by the local Albanian-language press saying that membe rs of the so-called Liberation Army of Kosovo (OVK, 1998) had killed a l arge number of policemen. He said that two policemen were killed and four others wounded in the region of Bajgora near Stari Trg.

No report was filed to competent authorities about the kidnapping of a 1 3- member delegation of representatives of ethnic Albanian political parti es in Kosovo and Metohija by the so-called OVK, Filic said, answering to reporters' questions.

Filic said that this was another proof that they "do not choose their vi ctims" and that this was supported by the fact that they had "kidnapped t heir compatriots and leaders," who "had gone to the village of Cirez in D renica to talk with the very ones who kidnapped them."

[05] JANKOVIC: 927 PERSONS INVESTIGATED IN CONNECTION WITH TERRORISM

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

In five District Courts in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija and in t he District Court of Prokuplje, 927 persons are under investigation for a ssociation for enemy activities and terrorism, Serbian Justice Minister D ragoljub Jankovic told Tanjug on Tuesday. In custody are 538 persons, and still at large are 419 persons, Jankovic specified.

So far charges have been filed against 178 persons, while proceedings fo r bringing criminal charges against around 300 persons are underway, the Serbian Minister said.

[06] SERBIAN MINISTER JANKOVIC RECEIVES ICRC DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

Serbian Justice Minister Dragoljub Jankovic has received head of the ICR C delegation to Yugoslavia Thomas Merkelbach and coordinator Susan Swann, a Government statement said on Tuesday.

The two sides agreed modalities for ICRC delegates' visits to ethnic Alb anians who are under investigation on charges of terrorism or are serving sentences for other criminal offences. The question was broached of sign ing a protocol on ICRC operation on the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The two sides agreed that cooperation to date has been good.

The ICRC delegation especially stressed that its delegates visiting pris ons in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Province of Kosovo-Metohija had noticed no irregularities in the accommodation and treatment of the ethni c Albanian inmates, the statement said.

[07] KOSOVO-METOHIJA IS TESTING GROUND FOR CRUSHING YUGOSLAVIA * MINISTER

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

Yugoslav Justice Minister Zoran Knezevic said here on Tuesday evening th at a repeated attempt to crush the Federal Republic Yugoslava under a wel l- known scenario was underway, in which its Republic of Serbia's Kosovo-M etohija Province was being used as a testing ground.

What we have in Kosovo-Metohija is a classical case of ethnic Albanian t errorism, whose political goal is to separate this territory from Serbia and Yugoslavia and create a Greater Albania, said Knezevic.

He said that through a resolute action by Serbian police and Yugoslav ar my border units, the backbone of ethnic Albanian terrorists had been brok en, which destroyed their myths of the self-styled Kosovo Liberation Army and a Greater Albania.

Knezevic described as impressive the fact that ethnic Albanian terrorism had been crushed in a very short time and underlined that few secessioni st movements enjoyed such a poor support from their own compatriots.

We have no illusion that terrorist attacks will stop, said Knezevic, add ing that Serbia and Yugoslavia were entering a new stage in the settlemen t of this issue, at which ethnic Albanian political representatives were expected to realize the true state of affairs and join the negotiating ta ble, he said.

The people of Kosovo-Metohija are not threatened by any humanitarian dis aster that was allegedly triggered by the security forces. The difficulti es in this area are the result of ethnic Albanian political leaders' dish onest and inhuman attitude, as, even in these unfortunate times, they are doing their utmost to worsen the situation and thus make Yugoslavia and Serbia be something some world powers would use to get even, Knezevic sai d. He added that they would not get away with this.

[08] LILIC: KOSOVO AND METOHIJA NEEDS PEACE, UNDERSTANDING

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

Kosovo and Metohija needs peace, understanding and the mutual respect of all who wish to live there and contribute to the development of the Prov ince, Serbia and Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Lilic s aid in Kladovo, Serbia, on Tuesday.

Speaking at a formal session of the Kladovo Municipal Council, held to m ark the anniversary of Kladovo's liberation during World War II, Lilic se t out that representatives of Serbia and Yugoslavia were ready immediatel y and unconditionally to sit down at the negotiating table with represent atives of the Albanian minority to discuss the resolution of open issues. The Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister stressed that agreement on and soluti ons to all issues were possible but on the condition international law an d the U.N. Charter were respected.

Lilic underscored that Yugoslavia, just as all other states in the world , was entitled to defend its sovereignty and integrity.

[09] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS CROATIAN, CHILEAN COUNTERPARTS

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

Jovanovic and Granic pointed to the need for pursuing contacts and the r ealization of activities they had agreed upon at their meeting last Augus t in Zagreb. They noted that talks were already underway on resolving a s eries of issues such as the Prevlaka promontory, sucession and the implem entation of the agreement on normalizing bilateral relations, and that t alks on environment protection were due to start shortly. Such contacts w ill contribute to resolving all issues regarding relations between the tw o neighboring countries, the ministers said. They also discussed economic cooperation, trade liberalization, conditions for the free flow of passe ngers, goods and information, etc.

The meeting with the Chilean Minister demonstrated that there were no pe nding issues between the two countries. The development of bilateral rela tions will be enhanced by raising diplomatic relations to the level of am bassadors, Insulza said and added that Chile was ready to intensify its r elations with Yugoslavia.

Discussing the situation in Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo-Metohij a, Insulza said that Chile endorsed Yugoslavia's sovereignty and territor ial integrity and condemned terrorist and separatist acts in the Province which constitute an attempt at destabilizing the situation in the region 2E Insulza expressed his support to Serbia's and Yugoslavia's endeavors to resolve the tension in Kosovo-Metohija by political means only.

Minister Jovanovic will pursue his contacts in New York on the sidelines of the 53rd regular UN General Assembly.

[10] YUGOSLAV DELEGATION VISITS ROMANIA

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

A delegation headed by Serbian Minister of Human and Minority Rights Iva n Sedlak met on Tuesday Romanian Government, Foreign Ministry and Senate officials.

The Romanian officials expressed their satisfaction with the status of t he Romanian minority in Serbia and with the exercise of its rights, Serbi an TV reported on Tuesday evening.

Sedlak expressed hope that the situation of the Serb minority in Romania , which has improved considerably in recent years, would soon become equa l to that of the Romanian minority in Serbia.

Sedlak, Information Secretary of Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo-Me tohija Bosko Drobnjak, and Director of the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry Rad e Drobac explained the situation in Kosovo-Metohija to the Romanian Senat e.

[11] CHINA: INTEREST IN ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH YUGOSLAVIA

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

The Chinese Province of Shandong is interested in developing economic co operation with partners from FR Yugoslavia, major of Jinan Sie Jutang tol d the Yugoslav Ambassador to China Slobodan Unkovic. Ambassador Unkovic w as attending the opening of the traditional fall economic-trade fair in J inan, capital city of the Province of Shandong with a population of 80 mi llion.

Unkovic, who spoke at the opening of the fair in the name of over 30 rep resentatives of foreign countries, said that Yugoslav firms were interest ed in cooperation with Shandong, and pointed to the importance of the dev elopment of economic relations between the two countries.

Jinan mayor and provincial officals stated the interest and readiness of firms from Shandong to invest in joint projects Yugoslavia, in keeping w ith the needs and accords of the two countries.

The importance was underlined of the joint investment by the Yugoslav co ncern Hemofarm from Vrsac in Jinan, where the first phase of a plant for infusion solutions will start operating soon. Ambassador Unkovic and mayo r Sie visited on Tuesday the Jinan-Hemofarm plant where they informed the mselves about plans of further development of that successful joint proje ct.

[12] YUGOSLAV OFFICIAL RECEIVES CHINESE DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-09-22

Deputy Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zoran Novakovic received on Tuesday a d elegation of the All-Chinese Association of Journalists which is visiting Yugoslavia at the invitation of the Serbian Association of Journalists.

Novakovic underscored the importance of deepening cooperation between th e two countries' news agencies, within the highly developed friendly bila teral relations, to which last year's successful visit to China by Yugosl av President Slobodan Milosevic gave impetus.

Novakovic said Yugoslavia highly appreciated the unbiased and objective reporting of Chinese media on the situation in Yugoslavia, Serbia, and in particular the republic's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

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