Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-10-26

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Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] YELTSIN URGES PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KOSOVO-METOHIJA CRISIS

[02] SERBIAN OFFICIAL MEETS FORENSIC EXPERTS FROM FINLAND

[03] KOSOVO DISTRICT HEAD RECEIVES USAID OFFICIAL

[04] SERBIAN OFFICIAL MEETS UN HUMAN RIGHTS RAPPORTEUR

[05] KOSOVO-METOHIJA'S TOP OFFICIAL MEETS WITH OSCE MISSION CHIEF

[06] RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR LAVROV ON SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON KOSMET

[07] U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON KOSMET CRISIS

[08] WALKER: OSCE DETERMINED TO MAKE VERIFICATION MISSION SUCCEED

[09] RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN LUKIN ON KOSMET

[10] CHINA: YUGOSLAVIA INVESTED GREAT EFFORTS TOWARD PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT

[11] OSCE MISSION HEAD ARRIVES IN PRISTINA

[12] CHINA OPPOSES MILITARY THREATS TO YUGOSLAVIA

[13] RUSSIA AND CHINA CATEGORICALLY AGAINST USE OF FORCE IN KOSOVO

[14] CHINA SAYS YUGOSLAVIA MAKES HUGE EFFORT FOR KOSOVO-METOHIJA PEACE

[15] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY REJECTS USE OF FORCE AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA

[16] ALL SIDES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PEACE IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA

[01] YELTSIN URGES PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KOSOVO-METOHIJA CRISIS

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has said that Moscow is urging a peacefu l resolution of the Kosovo-Metohija crisis. Yeltsin was speaking in an i nterview to the Austrian daily Neue Kronen-Zeitung, ahead of his official visit to Austria, Yeltsin's spokesman Dmitry Yakushkin said. Yakushkin said that in addition to the Kosovo-Metohija problem, the interview also dealt with the issues of Russia's cooperation with Western countries. Ye ltsin said that this cooperation should be "complex."

[02] SERBIAN OFFICIAL MEETS FORENSIC EXPERTS FROM FINLAND

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

Head of the Kosovo District of Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Meto hija Veljko Odalovic has received a team of forensic experts from Finland headed by Foreign Ministry Ambassador Time Lahelm, the provincial inform ation secretariat said in a statement. The delegation informed Odalovic of its powers and tasks and said its goal was to find out the truth in Ko sovo- Metohija. Odalovic told the experts that state authorities would pr ovide full help and would cooperate with all delegations and missions in the province in order to implement the accord on resolving the problems i n Kosovo-Metohija in a peaceful manner and by political means. The state authorities guarantee safety to the mission and will give it their full support, Odalovic told the experts and urged them to cooperate with the a uthorities and relevant institutions in order to carry out their task in the best and most objective manner, the statement says.

[03] KOSOVO DISTRICT HEAD RECEIVES USAID OFFICIAL

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

Kosovo district head Veljko Odalovic on Friday met with head of the USAI D humanitian assistance bureau Roy Williams, the Provincial Information S ecretariat said in a statement. Williams spoke about the frameworks of a plan and actions aimed at assisting the needy and said that good results could be achieved through coordinated efforts with Yugoslav humanitarian organisations and state organs. Odalovic said that the signed peace agr eement offered a possibility for a peaceful and negotiated resolution of problems in Kosovo and Metohija. The international community's stand that there can be no retailoring of borders in this region and its clear cond emnation of terrorism would enable a speedier resolution of problems, he said. Odalovic also said that cooperation and coordination of work of hu manitarian organisations, such as the USAID, would facilitate and improve assistance, in which the set up humanitarian centres, which provide assi stance to all the needy, regardless of their religion or nationality, wil l also contribute, the statement said.

[04] SERBIAN OFFICIAL MEETS UN HUMAN RIGHTS RAPPORTEUR

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

President of the Provisional Executive Council of Serbia's southern prov ince of Kosovo-Metohija Zoran Andjelkovic met Friday the UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur Jiri Dienstbier. Andjelkovic pointed to the governmen t's lasting commitment to making Kosovo-Metohija an area where all ethnic communities will enjoy equality, where the majority will not oppress the minority and where there will be no discrimination, the provincial infor mation secretariat said in a statement. Andjelkovic informed Dienstbier of the situation in Kosovo-Metohia and underlined that even after the con clusion of the Accord on peacefully resolving the problems in the provinc e, there had been prvocations and terrorist attacks on the police, the ar my and civilians. Despite this, Serbia and Yugoslavia remain committed to resolving problems in Kosovo-Metohija in a peaceful manner, he underline d. Dienstbier pointed to the importance of restoring trust among citizen s and of carrying out positive processes, especially as regards humanitar ian aid and later also education and health sectors, carrying out a censu s and holding elections. Answering Dienstbier's questions on the return of displaced persons to their homes and on amnesty prospects, Andjelkovic said that Serbian parliament had ruled that all persons who hand over ar ms to the authorities would be amnestied provided they had not shed blood in terrorist actions.

[05] KOSOVO-METOHIJA'S TOP OFFICIAL MEETS WITH OSCE MISSION CHIEF

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

Andjelkovic informed Walker and the OSCE delegation about the situation in this provinc of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia, according to a gover nment statement. Andjelkovic said that, since the agreement on a peacefu l settlement for Kosovo-Metohija was signed earlier in October, there had been a number of ethnic Albanian terrorist provocations targetting polic e, army and civilians, the statement said. Nevertheless, he added, Serbi a and Yugoslavia remained committed to a peaceful settlement of Kosovo-Me tohija's problems, and the government was determined that this part of Se rbia, too, should be a place where all ethnic communities would be equal.

Walker, for his part, said he was coming to Kosovo-Metohija without pre conceptions and that the mission's mandate was not to interfere in the le gal system of a sovereign state, but to verify the situation on the groun d, the statement said. He agreed with Andjelkovic that Kosovo-Metohija s hould function as a multi-ethnic community with equal rights for all, wit hout discrimination or majority domination. The statement further quoted the OSCE mission chief as thanking the authorities for their help and co operation, saying his associates had already had contact with state bodie s. He added that this should all help organise a census and elections in Kosovo-Metohija in the right way. Andjelkovic and Walker agreed to inve st efforts for the OSCE mission to be successful, in the best interest of all living in the region.

[06] RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR LAVROV ON SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON KOSMET

Tanjug, 1998-10-25

Russian ambassador to the U.N. Sergei Lavrov Sunday said the Belgrade ag reements had "created serious prospects for a long-term peaceful resoluti on of the conflict in Kosovo, based on strict respect for Yugoslavia's te rritorial integrity." The Russian news agency ITAR-TASS quoted ambassado r Lavrov as voicing hope that the latest U.N. Security Council resolution would step up the implementation of the Belgrade agreements and the depl oyment of the OSCE mission in Serbia's southern province. Lavrov said Ru ssia expected that the NATO decision on a possible use of force in Kosovo and Metohija would promptly be rescinded, which he said was also indispe nsable because of the safety of members of the OSCE mission. The Russian diplomat said he hoped the Security Council members did not differ over the strategy of action for a peaceful resolution of the situation in Koso vo and Metohija. He said that the strategy, which ruled out the possibil ity of the granting of the right to automatically use force, was reflecte d in the latest resolution, which he said was why Russia did not prevent its passage. The Russian ambassador to the U.N. set out that, although a ll provisions which would indirectly or directly authorize the use of for ce in Kosovo and Metohija had been eliminated from the resolution at Russ ia's insistence, the Russian delegation did not back the document because it contained unacceptable positions, especially the one that Kosovo and Metohija allegeldy still posed a threat to peace and security in the regi on.

Lavrov confirmed that Moscow backed the Belgrade agreements and said it intended to participate in the OSCE mission "in a most active way." The Russian ambassador to the U.N. said that the Kosovo and Metohija issue wa s in a new important phase, which opened prospects for a political soluti on.

[07] U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON KOSMET CRISIS

Tanjug, 1998-10-25

The U.N. Security Council backed the agreement on a peaceful political r esolution of the Kosovo and Metohija crisis in a resolution it adopted on Saturday, after two days of consultations and debate. The resolution wa s passed with 13 votes and two abstentions, those of Russia and China. T he Russian and Chinese delegates explained that their countries were diss atisfied because, the otherwise positively intoned resolution, mentioned Article Seven of the U.N. Charter, that is described Kosovo and Metohija as an alleged threat to stability in the region, without any real reason or cause. The Chinese ambassador said it was untenable to do so as Kosov o and Metohija was an internal affair of Yugoslavia and as Yugoslavia was investing immense efforts to resolve it. The Russian ambassador also un derscored that there was no room for any mention of Article 7 of the U.N. Charter, and criticised some Security Council members for trying to exte nd the resolution to issues which had nothing to do with the situation in Serbia's southern province.

Russia and China, however, lent support to the part of the document whic h welcomed and endorsed the agreements the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has signed with the OSCE and other factors which will participate in the verification process. Apart from backing the accord on a peaceful resol ution of the Kosovo and Metohija crisis and the expectations that it woul d consistently and fully be implemented, the resolution condemned terrori sm, as a means of achieiving political objectives, as it did also all for ms of external support to terrorist activities. Brazil and Costa Rica al so voiced satisfaction that the document backed the accord on a peaceful resolution of the crisis and that the Council was consistent in its posit ion that the Kosovo and Metohija issue remain in its jurisdiction. The Brazilian and Costa Rican delegates set out that the Security Council sho uld continue to assist and back the process of a peaceful resolution of t he Kosovo and Metohija crisis. During the debate on the draft resolution , in which opposing views were presented, from aggressive to realistic, a number of Council members warned against attempts to shift the prerogati ves of the U.N. and its Security Council to regional organizations. Russ ian ambassador Sergei Lavrov did so and voiced concern over the provocati ons resorted to by ethnic-Albanian terrorists in Kosovo and Metohija.

[08] WALKER: OSCE DETERMINED TO MAKE VERIFICATION MISSION SUCCEED

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

Head of the OSCE mission in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohij a William Walker said Friday in the provincial capital Pristina that the OSCE was determined to make its verification mission succeed. Walker tol d the press after meeting the President of the Provisional Executive Coun cil of Kosovo-Metohija Zoran Andjelkovic and ethnic Albanian leader Ibrah im Rugova that the task of the OSCE mission was to lay the conditions for making the province peaceful again. Walker said he had come to demonstr ate that OSCE was taking the mission seriously. Reiterating that OSCE ve rifiers would not be armed, Walker said the teams would not go to areas w here conflicts might occur, as there would be other ways to find out what is happenning there. There are two ways the international community can find out what is happenning. One is observation on the ground, as the mi ssion will have have many people in Kosovo-Metohija who will observe, sup ervise and verify various aspects of life in the province, and the other is aerial observation which is under NATO competence, Walker said. The v erifiers will be arriving gradually, but very fast. They are being recrui ted throughout Europe, the US and Canada, and will come to Kosovo-Metohij a without preconceptions, Walker said. Walker expressed hope that repres entatives of ethnic Albanians would also contribute to the success of the OSCE mission.

[09] RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN LUKIN ON KOSMET

Tanjug, 1998-10-24

Russian parliamentary official Vladimir Lukin has told the Polish newspa per Gazeta Wyborza that there are justified suspicions that the West is i n fact carrying out a plan of separating Kosovo and Metohija from the Yug oslav federation. In the interview given on the eve of the international parliamentary conference "Euro-Atlantic Dialogue in Parliamentary Projec ts, which opened in the Polish capital Saturday, Lukin, who chairs the Du ma Foreign Relations Committee, refuted the idea that Moscow was defendin g Serbia and its rights in Kosovo and Metohija only so as to prove that i t was still a major power. The Russian parliamentarian set out that Russ ia was afraid of a dangerous precedent.

"If the world accepts having a regional organization settle internal pro blems of a sovereign state, without that country's consent and against it s will, what will happen later? For instance, why couldn't a union of Rus sia, Uzbekistan and Tadzhikistan again maintain order in Afghanistan? Or, why couldn't NATO engage in the resolution of the conflict in Dagestan, without asking Russia whether it agreed with it?" Lukin set out. He said that Russia's position had not been the only and decisive factor why NAT O military intervention in Kosovo and Metohija had been put off. He said the decision was more due to the absence of full agreement among the NAT O allies and the fact that NATO had not prepared variants of how the situ ation in Kosovo and Metohija and Yugoslavia could develop after intervent ion, because "no one knew how the landscape would look after the battle."

In this case, too, if aerial bombardment was to take place, soldiers wo uld be killed but so would also innocent Serbs and innocent ethnic Albani ans. That would not produce a solution to the problem, since such problem s cannot be resolved by air strikes. The wars in Chechnya and Vietnam hav e taught us this, Lukin told the Polish newspaper. He said that Moscow, with its experience in Chechnya, had no recipe for the settling of the Ko sovo and Metohija issue and that views were divided, but pointed out that the means the West was resorting to were not in line with the declared o bjectives. "If the objective is to preserve the integrity of Yugoslavia, while at the same time creating broad autonomy for Kosovo, the only mean s by which this can be accomplished is not the withdrawal of all federal army units from Kosovo. The subsequent steps, as the West claims, would b e worked out in time, thanks to the system of control. However, that syst em enables only the prevention of a large-scale war. It does not give ans wers to the questions about what the administration would be like, what t he police, and what relations between the new authoritieis in Kosovo and the federation," Lukin said in the interview. The Russian parliamentaria n underscored that the international community faced a lengthy and diffic ult process of restoring Kosovo and Metohija's autonomy while, at the sam e time, preserving Yugoslavia's territorial integrity. "It requires a fa r more difficult skill than the dropping of bombs," Lukin noted and said that, "judging by the means applied by the West, it is rightly suspected that quite a different plan, one of separating Kosovo from the federation , has been prepared and is being carried out, first de facto and then de jure."

[10] CHINA: YUGOSLAVIA INVESTED GREAT EFFORTS TOWARD PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT

Tanjug, 1998-10-24

Chinese media on Saturday gave much coverage to consultations at the Uni ted Nations Security Council on a new resolution on Kosovo and Metohija ( Kosmet), placing emphasis on the opposition of Russia and China to the re solution containing any elements of military interference or NATO interve ntions. The resolution should confirm the agreements on a peaceful and p olitical settlement reached in talks between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke. Xinhua said Russia on Friday presented its draft, rejecting the draft resolution of western countries which allows for the possibility of a NATO military action against Yugos lavia. China is strongly against the draft resolution of the western cou ntries because it implies flagrant interference in the internal affairs o f Yugoslavia, Xinhua reported from New York. China's permanent represent ative to the United Nations Chin Huasun asked the international community fully to recognize the vast efforts of Yugoslavia toward a peaceful sett lement of problems in Kosmet.

He sharply criticized NATO, saying it had decided unilaterally, without authorization of the Security Council and in spite of these efforts by Yu goslavia, to take military action against Yugoslavia, drastically interfe ring in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, Xinhua said. This is not suited to the current positive atmosphere, it is not in keeping with the goals, principles and relevant demands of the U.N. Charter, or with t he norms of international laws. Moreover, it is not in keeping with the s tatute of NATO, the Chinese ambassador was adamant. Chin described the u rging of certain council members that the Security Council adopt such a r esolution as an irresponsible action, which he said China could not accep t in any way. Any interference by NATO has also been opposed by Brazil a nd Costarica, Xinhua said.

[11] OSCE MISSION HEAD ARRIVES IN PRISTINA

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

The head of the mission of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the verification of compliance with the agreement on the peaceful solution of the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, Ambassador William Walker, arrived Friday afternoon in Pristina and immediately met with the president of the Temporary Executive Council of Kosovo and Meto hija, Zoran Andjelkovic. Walker was accompanied by John Sendrock, the ch ief of the OSCE technical team which arrived in Kosmet last Saturday to c arry out the necessary preparations for the arrival of the verifiers.

Walker and Sendrock are scheduled to meet during the afternoon with ethn ic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova, the political representative of the et hnic Albanian terrorist organization, the so-called "Kosovo Liberation Ar my" (KLA), Adem Demaci, and U.N. team which has been in Kosovo and Metohi ja for several days.

[12] CHINA OPPOSES MILITARY THREATS TO YUGOSLAVIA

Tanjug, 1998-10-24

China is against the adoption of a new resolution on Serbia's southern p rovince of Kosovo-Metohija which would include military threats to Yugosl avia, Chinese assistant permanent representative at the UN Shen Guofeng t old Chinese news agency Xinhua after consultations at the Security Counci l Thursday night. No agreement was reached by the Council on a draft res olution proposed by Germany, the US, Japan and Sweden. The international community should make an objective assesment of the situation in Kosovo- Metohija and of the flexibility of the Yugoslav government in this regard , Shen said. China opposes military threats to Yugoslavia as they would be contrary to the presently positive atmosphere regarding Kosovo-Metohij a and detrimental to the search for a peaceful solution, Shen said. Chin a had also had reservations regarding Security Council Resolutions 1160 a nd 1199 and had opposed Council pressures and interference in internal af fairs of a sovereign country without the latter's request. China's deleg ation will propose amendments to the draft resolution, he added. Chinese news agency noted that Russia had earlier announced it would veto any re solution seeking the use of military force against Yugoslavia. In the co nsultations held Thursday night, Russia opposed points of the draft resol ution envisaging a NATO intervention in case the safety of OSCE observers in Kosovo-Metohija were threatened, the agency said. Russia's views were supported by China and Brazil.

The new Security Council resolution should confirm the accord on resolvi ng problems in Kosovo-Metohija by peaceful and political means reached by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and US envoy Richard Holbrooke.

[13] RUSSIA AND CHINA CATEGORICALLY AGAINST USE OF FORCE IN KOSOVO

Tanjug, 1998-10-24

Russia and China are categorically against NATO's expansion to the east and the use of force in resolving the problem of Serbia's province of Kos ovo and Metohija (Kosmet), Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev said in Peking on Saturday at the close of his four-day official visit to China.

Marshal Sergeyev also said the tow countries were united in a negative view on the intention of the United States and Japan to set up an anti-mi ssile defense system in the region, the Russian news agency Itar-Tas said 2E Russia and China will have an opportunity to demonstrate the unity o f their stands on ways for settling the Kosmet crisis already today at a United Nations Security Council meeting. The council should vote this ev ening on a new resolution in support of the Belgrade agreements on peacef ul settlement of the situation in Kosmet, it was learned in Moscow. No-o ne would be against the document if it duly expressed the stand of the in ternational community which generally urges a peaceful settlement of conf licts. The British and French delegations, however, insist on the resolu tion containing an article approving NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia if Be lgrade does not fulfil the agreements. In the course of earlier consulta tions on the draft, Russia had strongly opposed this approach and was ada mantly against even the mention of a possible use of force in settling th e issue of Kosmet. Russia's representative to the United Nations Sergei Lavrov said after last night's consultations that Russia had not changed its stand, Moscow media report.

[14] CHINA SAYS YUGOSLAVIA MAKES HUGE EFFORT FOR KOSOVO-METOHIJA PEACE

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Qin Huasan said on Friday that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had made an enormous effort for a peac eful settlement of the Kosovo-Metohija problem. The international commun ity should give Yugoslavia full credit for its effort, Qin said, speaking at U.N. headquarters after closed-door consultations in the Security Cou ncil. The Security Council was reviewing a draft resolution to support a n Oct. 13 accord for a peaceful and political settlement of the crisis in that province of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia. Qin said that China a ccepted technically a resolution to support the accord, signed in Belgrad e by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and U.S. envoy Richard Holbroo ke. Qin criticised some regional organisations for bringing pressure to bear for instruments to be used in dealing with the Kosovo-Metohija crisi s that would constitute interference in the internal affairs of a soverei gn state. To use such methods, he said, would run counter to the positiv e trends in the Kosovo-Metohija situation, these methods being totally at variance with valid international laws and the spirit, letter and princi ples of the U.N. Charter.

The "Contact Group," with the exception of Russia, tabled before the Sec urity Council the draft resolution which again puts unprincipled pressure on Yugoslavia in dealing with the Kosovo-Metohija issue. Some Security Council members, notably China, Russia, Brazil, Costa Rica and some other s, have raised some essential and principled objections to the draft reso lution as it stands. The Security Council should resume consultations la ter in the afternoon New York time, after a recess of some hours.

[15] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY REJECTS USE OF FORCE AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

Russian foreign ministry spokesman Vladimir Rahmanin said Friday that Russia was absolutely opposed to Security Council approving automatic use of milita ry force against Yugoslavia. Russia has remained firm in this stance dur ing the Council discussion of a new draft resolution on Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija, the spokesman said. Noting that a politica l solution to the Kosovo-Metohija problem has started gaining wider suppo rt, the spokesman reiterated Moscow's view that threats of using force co uld not resolve the inte-ethnic conflict in the province. Russia, too, c ares for the safety of OSCE verifiers in Kosovo-Metohija, but believes th at automatic use of force would constitute a dangerous precedent. The saf ety of OSCE verifiers in the province should be ensured by Yugoslav autho rities, the spokesman said. Yugoslavia is a sovereign state and security in its territory comes under its direct prerogatives, the spokesman said 2E The Contact Group is ready to meet in case of an emergency, regardle ss of who causes it, in order to resolve problems that might come up, but there can be no automatic action, the spokesman said. Rahmanin condemne d the recent abduction of two Tanjug reporters in Kosovo- Metohija, and sa id that any abduction was an inhuman act that must be prevented.

[16] ALL SIDES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PEACE IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-10-23

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday issued a statement warning Kosovo - Metohija Albanians that they were as responsible as Serbs for peace in K osovo-Metohija. The document, issued in agreement with the Contact Group , also said that all who opposed the peace process would bear "serious re sponsibility." All sides -- both Kosovo Albanians and Serbs -- are respo nsible for a full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1199 , including the cessation of all acts of violence and launching of a mech anism of monitoring and control, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladi mir Rakhmanin told a news conference in Moscow. He said that it was nece ssary that the parties to the conflict do not jeopardise and interfere in the work of international observers and humanitarian organisations. The creation of an atmosphere of confidence is necessary for the return of r efugees and displaced persons, which directly depends on it, Rakhmanin sa id and added that Russia was attaching utmost importance to a speedy star t of talks on a political settlement of the crisis in Kosovo and Metohija , on the basis of documents submitted by U.S. diplomat Hill and approved by the Contact Group. Rakhmanin said that all sides had to participate i n this process and said that all who interfered in it would take serious responsibility.

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