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Serbia Today, 96-12-20
CONTENTS
[01] LEARNING THE FACTS
[02] SHILLING: BACK IN STOLAC - NEVER AGAIN
[03] HERZEG-BOSNIA ABOLISHED BUT STILL EXISTS
[04] NO ALTERNATIVE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS
[05] MILUTINOVIC: DISTORTED PICTURE OF THE ELECTIONS IN SERBIA
[06] CHINESE INVESTMENTS IN YUGOSLAVIA
[01] LEARNING THE FACTS
The multi-member delegation of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), headed by former Spanish Premier Felippe
Gonsales, arrived in Belgrade today. The OSCE representatives have come to
learn the exact situation in Serbia after the partial annulment of
municipal elections and to eliminate all potential reserves in the
relations between FR Yugoslavia and the international community. Delegation
members will meet with representatives of all political structures,
judiciary, media and other organizations they will deem competent in
helping them comprehend the true state of things in Serbia.
Serbia Today, 1996-12-20 ; Politika Ekspres, 1996-12-20
[02] SHILLING: BACK IN STOLAC - NEVER AGAIN
The International Mediator for the Moslem-Croatian Federation - Mr.
Christian Schwarz Shilling left the town of Stolac highly irritated and
deluded, because the local authorities rejected the agreement on the
enactment of the Constitution and the introduction of Federation laws in
the area. Mr. Shilling threatened that the international community
sanctions against Stolac will be made more drastic. "I shall not return to
this town as International Mediator until the situation changes," said Mr.
Shilling. He accused the representatives of the Croats from Stolac of
obstructing the return of Moslems to the town, restricting their freedom of
movement and the use of property. According to data provided by the Moslem
Stolac County council (currently in exile), before the war there were 8.000
Moslems in the town of Stolac, and now only 16 elderly ones are left.
Serbia Today, 1996-12-20 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1996-12-20
[03] HERZEG-BOSNIA ABOLISHED BUT STILL EXISTS
News agencies report that the President of the Moslem-Croatian Federation -
Kresimir Zubak stated yesterday that the self-proclaimed creation - Herzeg-
Bosnia, exists no more. In a letter addressed to the international
coordinator for Bosnia - Mr. Karl Bildt, he indicated that as of yesterday
the "government and institutions of Herzeg-Bosnia" have been placed out of
function. The self-proclaimed creation of the Bosnian Croats, recognized
only by Croatia, was to be dissolved in August, but the Croats did not
respect the agreement that was signed. Thus Mostar is still a divided city
where the Croatian checkered flag is flown.
Serbia Today, 1996-12-20 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1996-12-20
[04] NO ALTERNATIVE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS
The modernization of the transport infrastructure is a precondition for the
revitalization of the national economy and its joining the international
market. Therefore, the decision to continue the construction of trans-
Yugoslav highways encouraged domestic companies and prompted the interest
of foreign ones - said Serbian Minister of Transports and Communications
Svetolik Kostadinovic at the session of the Coordinating team for of
transports and communications yesterday. He also reminded that a pan-
European ministerial meeting will be held next year in Helsinki and that it
will most probably indicate that road and railway corridors linking Hungary
and Bulgaria through Yugoslavia and the corridor from Nis to the Macedonian
border will be qualified as transport corridors of European importance.
"Bearing in mind the importance of constructing railroads and highways,
especially in the sense that this will boost national economy and increase
the living standard of the people, these development projects really have
no alternative", stressed Minister Kostadinovic.
Serbia Today, 1996-12-20 ; Politika, 1996-12-20
[05] MILUTINOVIC: DISTORTED PICTURE OF THE ELECTIONS IN SERBIA
"We have invited the OSCE delegation to come to our country because a
distorted picture of the facts related to the elections in Serbia has been
created abroad. We called the delegation that it may, first of all, learn
the true facts and that ant reserves be eliminated in the relations we have
with the international community", said Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan
Milutinovic at a press conference held yesterday. Even though Yugoslavia is
not a OSCE member, we thought that OSCE is the optimum framework for such a
mission - said Mr. Milutinovic adding that the statements released by the
European delegation will be evaluated by competent Yugoslav institutions -
i.e. "within the framework of our system". Responding to a journalist
question, the Foreign Minister underscored that as far as local elections,
and elections in general, are concerned, in our country the final word
isn't that of the courts nor that of the electoral commissions, but that of
the citizens. "Consequently, any controversy will be settled by the vote of
the citizens, and there is no other solution", remarked Mr. Milutinovic.
The Reuters reporter asked about the damages Yugoslavia suffered
internationally by the events in Belgrade, and the Foreign Minister replied
that a distorted picture has been created in the world regarding all that
has happened in our country. "An unfounded thesis has been launched, namely
that all elections have been annulled. It's not true that all election
results have been annulled - in fact the voters were newly called to the
polling stations to cast a ballot for the same candidates. We are not
talking about repeated elections with some new candidates, and the question
is why should anyone fear another verification of the will of the citizens.
The picture has been distorted in another sense as well. Opposition parties
accepted the third round of elections in the constituencies where it was
winning. Wherever they lost, they rejected the repeated voting", said Mr.
Milutinovic and added: "Our country has suffered certain damages. It is
clear that we have to maintain a dialogue on all issues, but within the
framework of the institutions. Anything less would be non-democracy. It
would be an attack on those citizens that have a different opinion.
"
Serbia Today, 1996-12-20 ; Tanjug, 1996-12-20
[06] CHINESE INVESTMENTS IN YUGOSLAVIA
The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Yugoslavia - H.E. Ju
Ankang, stated in an interview for the Novi Sad daily "Dnevnik" that "...
the Chinese Government gives great importance to the development of
relations with Yugoslavia, and the Chinese people highly values the
friendship with the Yugoslav people.". Speaking about the economic
cooperation between China and Yugoslavia, Ambassador Ankang remarked that
all current contracts have been implemented as planned, with mutual
satisfaction. The Chinese Government is prompting Chinese companies and
provinces to send expert groups and delegations to Yugoslavia to personally
view the situation and the potentials, said Mr. Ju Ankang stressing that
the Chinese have plans to invest in Yugoslavia.
Serbia Today, 1996-12-20 ; Dnevnik, 1996-12-20
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