Tanjug Daily News Review, 96-05-26

Tanjug Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Tanjug, Yugoslavia, via Serbian Unity Congress <http://www.suc.org/>

May 26, 1996
NEWS AGENCY - TANJUG
DAILY NEWS REVIEW

CONTENTS

[01] IPTF PROTESTS WITH CROAT AUTHORITIES OVER ARREST OF UNICEF DELEGATION

[02] PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS START IN ALBANIA

[03] AMERICAN SINGER JAMES BROWN TO HOLD A CONCERT IN BELGRADE

[04] CHEIF OPPOSITION PARTIES BOYCOTT ELECTIONS

[05] CHIRAC, BILDT: ALL PROVISIONS OF DAYTON ACCORDS MUST BE IMPLEMENTED

[06] BOSNIAN SERB AIR SHOW NEAR BANJALUKA

[07] TUDJMAN REJECTS POSSIBILITY OF AUTONOMY FOR SERBS

[08] BOSNIAN CROATS STRENGTHEN FUNCTIONS OF THEIR STATE

[09] JOSIP BROZ TITO ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED IN ZAGREB

[10] CROAT EXTREMISTS PULL DOWN 80 PERCENT OF MUSLIM HOUSES IN STOLAC

[11] TALKS ON REVIVING MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION

[12] PARIS MEETING: COMPLIANCE WITH DAYTON ACCORDS PROVISIONS IS A MUST

[13] ARMING OF MOSLEM-CROAT FEDERATION ARMY TO BEGIN SOON

[14] MONTENGRIN PREMIER: REPUBLIC'S INTEREST IS TO REMAIN IN YUGOSLAVIA

[15] DJUKANOVIC: HASTIER ENFORCEMENT OF CIVILIAN SIDE OF DAYTON ACCORD

[01] IPTF PROTESTS WITH CROAT AUTHORITIES OVER ARREST OF UNICEF DELEGATION

international news agencies quoted iptf spokesman patrick svensson as saying in sarajevo that the delegation had wanted to film a well-known historic site, tito's cave near drvar, western bosnia.

towards the end of world war ii, josip broz tito (1892-1980), partisan leader and, subsequently, lifetime president of the former yugoslavia, had his headquarters in the cave.

bosnian croat police on thursday arrested the unicef delegation, headed by goodwill ambassador tetsuko kuroyanagi of japan, as well as reporters who accompanied them, and detained them for five hours.

they were taken to the police station and released after interrogation.

agence france-presse reported that the police had seized the bus rented by the unicef delegation for the occasion as well as all the cameras and films.

the unicef delegation has arrived in bosnia-herzegovina to shoot a fund-raising film to help the children of the former yugoslavia.

unicef lodged a strong protest also with interior minister of the moslem-croat federation avdo hebib and foreign minister jadranko prlic.

[02] PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS START IN ALBANIA

running in the race are 1,400 representatives of 24 parties and 10 independent candidates. these are the third elections since the end of enver hoxha's regime.

the main rivals are the ruling democratic party of president sali berisha and the socialist party, successor of the communists who ruled until 1990.

the elections are attended by 400 foreign observers charged with supervising that they are legally conducted following a tumultuous election campaign accompanied by threats and conflicts between the members and followers of the two rival parties.

[03] AMERICAN SINGER JAMES BROWN TO HOLD A CONCERT IN BELGRADE

the organisers prepared the biggest hall in belgrarde's fair for the show and met the very modest requests of the 60-year old 'godfather of soul' - an oxygen bottle near the platform, a mounted hair dryer and a 186-inch white lincoln, the latest model if possible, for driving around town.

brown is arriving in belgrade after two concerts in switzerland, and is then going on to skopje on monday. after skopje he will return for two more concerts in switzerland and another six in scandinavia.

brown started his almost four-decade long career as a gospel choir singer and his first recording in 1955, 'please, please, please' with the group flames became a world hit.

his next triumph was 'try me' from 1958. he made the top ten in 1965 with his single 'papa's gotta new bag', which was followed by world hits 'sex machine' and 'this is a man's world'.

brown's music and stage appearance influenced american soul, funky, rock and lately rap groups.

brown received a life achievement grammy award in 1992 for his brilliant musical career during which he featured 98 times on the toplist and 17 times on the very top of the musical magazine billboard.

[04] CHEIF OPPOSITION PARTIES BOYCOTT ELECTIONS

the reason for the boycott was undemocratic conditions and manipulation of the poll by the leading democratic party of president sali berisha.

the two leading opposition parties demanded that the poll be declared invalid.

the elections for the 140-seat parliament started on sunday morning and under a special presidential decree would be extended another two hours -- until 2200 hrs local time, said albanian television, without giving any explanation for the extension.

[05] CHIRAC, BILDT: ALL PROVISIONS OF DAYTON ACCORDS MUST BE IMPLEMENTED

chirac and bildt said this also included the removal from office of president of the (bosnian serb state) republika srpska radovan karadzic and r.s. army commander general ratko mladic.

commenting on one-hour talks between chirac and bildt, spokesperson of the elysee presidential palace catherine colonna said the peace plan for bosnia-herzegovina must be fully implemented.

colonna said it was vital that elections in bosnia-herzegovina be held by mid-september, as provided for by the dayton accords.

bildt warned all three formerly warring parties -- moslems, croats and serbs -- that it was vital that all provisions of the dayton accords be complied with, and said none of the parties honoured the peace agreement fully.

bildt listed as major problems securing freedom of movement, enabling the hague-based international war crimes tribunal for the former yugoslavia to carry out its activity and securing election of local authorities in mostar, centre of herzegovina.

bildt is attending a closed-door meeting of the steering board of the peace implementation council that opened in paris on friday.

the board voiced the international community's determination to step up efforts for the economic recovery of bosnia-herzegovina, which, according to bildt, was crucial for securing peace.

chirac backed bildt's efforts to help implement civilian aspects of the dayton accords.

he stressed the need for balancing financial efforts for bosnia's recovery, since the european union has earmarked 800 million u.s. dollars for the purpose, which is a four times higher sum than that contributed by the united states.

[06] BOSNIAN SERB AIR SHOW NEAR BANJALUKA

the air show was approved by the peace implementation force (ifor), and participating were a squadron of warplanes, helicopters and parachuters from the prijedor air-club.

these were the first sorties since the no-fly zone was introduced in the former yugoslavia by the u.n. security council in september, 1992.

thousands of people gathered to watch the air show, including ifor and members of international organizations with offices in banjaluka, the biggest town in the bosnian serb entity republika srpska.

the bosnian serb army is marking air and antiaircraft defense day on may 27, the date when its forces made their first sortie in 1992.

bosnian serb aircraft and equipment was also displayed at mahovljani airport.

[07] TUDJMAN REJECTS POSSIBILITY OF AUTONOMY FOR SERBS

speaking at a session of the presidential council, tudjman said croatia would not accept even a mild form of the z-4 plan set up by the united states and russia in 1995 securing a high degree of autonomy for the republic of serb krajina.

the serb region is a territory between croatia and yugoslavia that has been placed under a one-to-two-year u.n. administration.

referring to the recent postponement of croatia's admission into the council of europe, tudjman said zagreb was being exposed to pressure 'unprecedented in diplomatic history,' adding that this was an 'attempt to destabilize the internal order.'

croatia has become a 'regional power' and has 'achieved the biggest possible success - partnership with the united states, the major world power,' thus angering europe because americans have 'taken the leading role' in solving the crisis in the region and 'taken croatia's side,' said tudjman.

he said europe wanted to push croatia into the 'balkan integration framework,' with backing from some circles in the u.s. outside the official policy conducted by washington.

[08] BOSNIAN CROATS STRENGTHEN FUNCTIONS OF THEIR STATE

following the signing of the dyton accords the bosnian croats did not start with reducing the functions of the republic of herceg-bosna, as agreed under the accords, but on the contrary proceeded with their strengthening, the stations said.

the presiding council of the croat republic of herceg-bosna decided to reorganise the government into six ministries - defence, interior, judiciary and administation, finance, economy and social activities, the croatian radio reported.

the washington agreement on the muslim-croat federation in bosnia was signed in march 1994 under the presssure of the united states following fierce one-year conflicts between the two sides in bosnia. the federation has not started to function so far.

[09] JOSIP BROZ TITO ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED IN ZAGREB

the inaugural convention was held on may 25th, the 104th anniversary of titos brith, a day for decades celebrated in the former yugoslavia as youth day and the birthday of josip broz (1892-1980), party and state leader of the post-war yugoslavia.

the non-party organisation will protect tito's reputation, as the greatest croat born in this territory, from belittlement, lies and false accusations.

the gathering started with an incident provoked by mladen scwartz, leader of a pro-fascist croat party, who shouted 'down with tito' but was quickly removed from the hall.

some 150 participants gathered at the convention, mostly former fighters of the national liberation war and former state leaders. they described tito as a leading figure in the antifascist struggle from 1941 to 1945 and a world reknown statesman.

tito propagated brotherhood and unity and succeeded in reconciling all yugoslav peoples and uniting them in a struggle against the occupier which saved all the peoples in the former yugoslavia, the participants said.

the convnetion was also attended by former federal and republican officials, many of whom showed up in public for the first time in the last five years since the break-up of the former yugoslavia and croatia's forcible secession from the former yugoslav state.

they included, dussan dragosavac, jure bilic, stipe suvar, milutin baltic, zvonimir hrabar, branko horvat and others.

tomislav badovinac, former federal and republican official, was elected president of the associtaion.

[10] CROAT EXTREMISTS PULL DOWN 80 PERCENT OF MUSLIM HOUSES IN STOLAC

in a statement given in the city of mostar, southern bosnia, where he is a refugee, dizdar claimed that all muslim religious facilities, including eight mosques, had been destroyed.

about 800 bosnian muslims, expelled by the croats three years ago, entered stolac for the first time on saturday under a strong police escort and returned two hours later with very bitter impressions.

'these people are no longer optimistic about their return to their homes,' dizdar said.

mislim sarajevo radio announced earlier that stolac previously had 8,000 muslim inhabitants who made up 75 percent of the population, while now there are only 16 percent left.

following year-long fierce mutual battles over territories in central bosnia, the muslims and croats set up a joint federation in washington in march 1994. so far, the federation has remained only on paper. end zn/dd/mb

[11] TALKS ON REVIVING MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION

in ankara it is learned on sunday that the three ministers will focus on problems in the functioning of the muslim-croat federation, created on 1993 in washington.

ankara and the united states initiated that unnatural alliance created during the war against the bosnian serbs and blocked when the division of authority and territories came on the agenda.

the dayton peace agreement envisioned bosnia as a union of two entities - the muslim-croat federaion and the bosnian serb state republika srpska. end zn/dd/mb

[12] PARIS MEETING: COMPLIANCE WITH DAYTON ACCORDS PROVISIONS IS A MUST

paris, may 26 (tanjug) - the steering board of the peace implementation council agreed in a two-day meeting in paris that all provisions of the dayton peace accords for bosnia-herzegovina must be implemented by the set date.

the meeting decided that a conference of the dayton accords signatories in geneva in early june should determine meausures for overcoming obstacles threatening to deadlock the peace process for bosnia-herzegovina.

the united states, which has brokered the conference that will be chaired by secretary of state warren christopher, has invited serbian president slobodan milosevic, his croatian counterpart franjo tudjman and bosnian moslem leader alija izetbegovic to the conference.

also attending the conference will be officials of the five-nation 'contact group' comprising russia, the united states, britain, france and germany.

high representative for bosnia carl bildt said in paris that violations of the dayton accords provisions would no longer be tolerated, saying all parties violated the provisions at this point.

three complex issues have so far taken a more definite shape -- the crisis in the herzegovinian town of mostar, organisation of elections in bosnia-herzegovina and the issue regarding the fate of (bosnian serb state) republika srpska president radovan karadzic.

the resolution of the three issues should render possible a highly risky process of creating a multiethnic state structure in bosnia.

strained relations between moslems and croats in mostar, however, point to the non-existence of the moslem-croat federation.

commenting on the mostar developments, the paris daily le monde reported on sunday that, despite their declarative support for the binational federation, croat nationalists in herzegovina had not given up efforts to bring about the final division of mostar.

in this context, the daily quoted a western diplomat whose name was not given as saying mostar would never again be united nor would the moslem-croat federation ever begin to function.

french president jacques chirac fully backed bildt's efforts, saying it was vital that bosnia's elections be held in september and that karadzic be removed from the republika srpska leadership.

le monde commented on the latter issue in an editorial on sunday, saying the west had never had the slightest intention of arresting bosnian serb 'war lords.'

the daily said the west only wanted to prevent them from hampering the peace process, and said milosevic played a vital role in the restoration of peace.

[13] ARMING OF MOSLEM-CROAT FEDERATION ARMY TO BEGIN SOON

the paper reported on sunday that the federation would be supplied with 40 abrams tanks, 100 armoured personnel carriers, a large number of howitzers and mortars, and 30 assault helicopters.

the paper failed to specify who would pay for the weapons or which countries would provide them.

the moslem-croat federation was set up under u.s. pressure in march 1994 as a military bloc against bosnia's other entity, the (bosnia serb state) republika srpska.

[14] MONTENGRIN PREMIER: REPUBLIC'S INTEREST IS TO REMAIN IN YUGOSLAVIA

speaking to journalists assembled for the annual may convention, which this year includes 30 journalists from abroad, milo djukanovic said the political forces calling for montenegro's secession from yugoslavia would win no more than 15-17 percent percent of the votes at the elections, as they did in 1992.

replying to a comment by an austrian journalist that serbia and montenegro held different views on privatization, djukanovic said there was 'no universal model of privatization.'

he said what was acceptable to one republic need not necessarily be acceptable to the other.

he added, however, that 'this cannot be the cause for a rift between the republics.'

speaking about democratization in montenegro, djukanovic said it was important to further develop parliamentary democracy, improve the work of state organs and institutions, and apply the principle of the freedom of the press.

asked about montenegro's stand on the recent dismissal of yugoslav bank governor dragoslav avramovic, djukanovic said he esteemed his contribution to the stabilization of the economic system and the dinar, but added he did nothing in the transformation of commercial banking or privatization.

[15] DJUKANOVIC: HASTIER ENFORCEMENT OF CIVILIAN SIDE OF DAYTON ACCORD

yugoslavia has consistenly fulfilled the obligations assumed under the dayton accord and no one seriously considers re-imposing sanctions on yugoslavia, milo djukanovic told journalists from 24 countries at the annual may convention.

'unfortunately, speculations on re-imposing the sanctions on yugoslavia and the distorted image of us in the media discourage any intensive influx of foreign capital which we need to recover from the sanctions and to develop,' djukanovic told journalists at the seaside resort of milocer.

the question of continuity, on which yugoslavia insists, should not hinder its inclusion in international financial and other institutions, said djukanovic, describing this as an 'important and complex question.'

he said the economic aspect of the question of continuity was 'resolved in 1992, with the acceptance and agreement on succession.'

speaking of the stand on the legal and political aspects of the problem, he said 'we (serbia and montenegro) are the founders of the former yugoslavia and believe we have the right to a seat in the united nations,' just as russia had with regard to the former soviet union.

'this is the legal interpretation, but, unfortunately, due to the negative stand of the u.s. representative in the u.n., the issue is outstanding. however, this is no reason not to regulate relations with the former yugoslav republics and the world,' said djukanovic.

djukanovic said the condition for yugoslavia normalizing relations with croatia was the settlement of the status of the prevlaka peninsula, a strategically important spot for both states, where u.n. peacekeepers are deployed.

croatian president franjo tudjman agreed in dayton, ohio, to accede prevlaka to yugoslavia, with certain territorial compensations, and to allow the bosnian serb entity of republika srpska access to the sea, but 'apparently had to abandon the agreement' owing to internal tensions.

djukanovic said montenegro and yugoslavia would continue to seek solutions to the question of prevlaka peacefully, including international arbitration.

commenting on the balkan ministerial meeting in sofia next week, djukanovic said it was 'time the balkans attained majority,' without outside interference in resolving problems.

djukanovic said priorities in foreign policy included relations with neighbors, developing good cooperation with italy and albania, and fully normalizing relations with the new states in the former yugoslavia.

djukanovic underlined the significance of relations with the european union and the united states, adding that 'these are leading world powers with potential investors' and that 'contacts were necessary to amend the tarnished image of us projected by the media crusade we had lost.'

Copyright © Tanjug, Yugoslavia, 1996

Tanjug Directory - Previous Article - Next Article