Yugoslav Daily Survey 96-01-15

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory

From: ddc@nyquist.bellcore.com (D.D. Chukurov)

Yugoslav Daily Survey

15 January 1996

CONTENTS

[A] SARAJEVO SERBS

[01] MILOSEVIC TELLS SERBS NOT TO LEAVE SARAJEVO

[02] RS URGES NATO TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION OF PEACE AGREEMENT FOR SARAJEVO

[B] CLINTON'S VISIT TO BALKAN

[03] CLINTON TALKS ON PHONE WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC

[04] POLITIKA ON CLINTON'S TOUR

[C] YUGOSLAVIA - IFOR

[05] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA RECEIVES SOLANA, JOULWAN

[D] YUGOSLAVIA - ECONOMY

[06] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER: EXPORTS TO BE BACKBONE OF ECONOMY THIS YEAR

[E] HUMANITARIAN AID

[07] YUGOSLAVIA'S APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

[F] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[08] MUJAHEDDIN COMMANDER IN BOSNIA SAYS CROATS WERE KILLED IMMEDIATELY

[A] SARAJEVO SERBS

[01] MILOSEVIC TELLS SERBS NOT TO LEAVE SARAJEVO

Sarajevo Serbs should not lend ear to irresponsible statements by local politicians, but have confidence in the peace accord because it protects and asserts their interests, said Milosevic in talks with Serb Sarajevo executive committee chairman Maksim Stanisic.

The documents adopted in Dayton, including a constitution, envisage the full recognition of the rights of all citizens by the principle of non-discrimination, thus enforcing the agreement is precisely the solution to the current problems, said Milosevic.

He said Yugoslavia was firmly convinced that the rights, guaranteed under the Dayton accord, would be realized through efficacious mechanisms, under the supervision of the international community, which included solutions to the problems of Serbs in Sarajevo.

Stanisic informed Milosevic of the problems of citizens in Sarajevo and the talks he had had with high representative of the international community for Bosnia Carl Bildt and other officials engaged in implementing the peace accord in the former Yugoslavia.

[02] RS URGES NATO TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION OF PEACE AGREEMENT FOR SARAJEVO

Following his meeting in the Sarajevo Serb section of Lukavica with NATO Commander for Europe U.S. Gen. George Joulwan and Commander of the IFOR for Bosnia and Herzegovina U.S. Admiral Leighton Smith, Krajisnik explained that the extension of the deadline was necessary for a political solution to be found, for the accommodation of those Serbs who might decide to leave, and for the establishment of 'any confidence whatsoever,' the R.S. news agency SRNA reported.

'The Serbs do not want the peace agreement to collapse,' said Krajisnik, noting that Javier Solana was told that 'a solution must be found for the status of Serb Sarajevo in order to avert a crisis like the current one in Mostar.'

Krajisnik pointed out that the Serbs could agree to coexist with the Muslims, or, conversely, to leave, but on receiving compensation and if a new city were constructed.

We shall do all we can for Serbs to stay in Sarajevo, Javier Solana promised after the meeting and stressed that NATO and IFOR will see to it that Sarajevo be a city for all and this will be done in the spirit of the Dayton agreement.

[B] CLINTON'S VISIT TO BALKAN

[03] CLINTON TALKS ON PHONE WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC

A statement from President Milosevic's office said that in a talk of some length Milosevic and Clinton stated satisfaction with the advance made in the implementation of the peace agreement for Bosnia-Herzegovina and the development of Yugoslav - U.S. relations.

The two Presidents, as the statement said, stated readiness to work together towards a successful completion of the process of stabilization of the situation in the region.

[04] POLITIKA ON CLINTON'S TOUR

Clinton's visit to the U.S. troops in Bosnia on Saturday confirmed that both he and the United States, as the only remaining world power, were firmly committed to peace in the Balkans and the entire Europe, said Politika.

In Politika's view, President Clinton's statements about the conflict between Serbs, Muslims and Croats were an evidence of equal treatment of both entitities in Bosnia, the Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat federation.

It also showed that the same treatment on the part of the United States and the entire international community would continue in the future, the paper emphasized.

Politika said it had learned from well-informed sources that officials in Belgrade praised efforts invested by Clinton for the implementation of the Dayton agreement and restoration of just peace in the region.

This is further confirmed by the fact that Clinton called Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic by telephone and that they had a lengthy conversation in which they expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the implementation of the Dayton agreement and in mutual cooperation, the paper said.

In view of all that, Milosevic's appeal to Serbs in Sarajevo last Friday not to leave the city and not to listen to irresponsible statements by some local politicians bears even more weight, said Politika.

[C] YUGOSLAVIA - IFOR

[05] PRESIDENT OF SERBIA RECEIVES SOLANA, JOULWAN

This was jointly assessed on Friday at a talk between President of the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic, NATO Secretary General Javier Solana, and NATO Supreme Commander for Europe General George Joulwan.

As was announced by the office of President Milosevic, the current ics at the talk covered the implementation of the peace agreement for the BiH and the political situation in the region.

It was emphasized that the consistent implementation of the peace agreement should to the largest measure contribute to the elimination of long-lasting tensions as well as to the re-establishment of a normal atmosphere for citizens' life and communication.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the NATO member states, as was pointed out, would to this end continue investing the biggest possible efforts.

Also taking part in the talk was Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic.

Milutinovic described as very useful Milosevic's talks with Solana and Joulwan. He said the talks focused on issues of interest for all sides seeking peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Solana told reporters that his short, but intensive tour of the former Yugoslavia ended in Belgrade. Before Belgrade, Solana visited Croatia's capital Zagreb on Thursday and Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday.

He said he had underlined to his interlocutors that an important period was ahead, the period when the NATO-led Bosnia IFOR, whose performance was good so far, should take over complete control on the ground.

Solana also said he hoped that the good cooperation with IFOR troops on the ground would continue.

He said the talks in Belgrade also tackled the problem of Sarajevo and expressed hope that everything would be done to enable local Serbs to remain in the city with all the necessary guarantees.

Gen. Joulwan said that the talks with Milosevic were frank and intensive and that cooperation with the Serbian President was very important for the implementation of the Bosnia peace accord.

He also said that considerable progress had been made in separating the warring sides in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

[D] YUGOSLAVIA - ECONOMY

[06] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER: EXPORTS TO BE BACKBONE OF ECONOMY THIS YEAR

Kontic told Tanjug that the suspension of anti-Yugoslav sanctions opened very large possibilities to enhance domestic economy and set out that the Yugoslav economy had all the pre-requisites for a speedy and efficient appearance on the world market.

An integral part of the new concept of Yugoslavia's economic policy was liberalization of the economic relations regime with foreign countries, convertibility of the national currency and ownership transformation, he said. The application of this new economic program should secure a 12.5 percent growth of the social product, a 1.5 percent industrial production increase, a 3 percent rise in agricultural production and at least a 50 percent expansion of exports.

Kontic said the Yugoslav Government gave full support to the business arrangements with foreign partners and added that all the questions pertaining to cooperation with the Yugoslav economy in conditions of transition have been regulated by new legislation that has been adjusted to modern market trends.

He noted that relevant legislation was being currently re-examined with a view to creating more favourable conditions to attract foreign capital.

The Prime Minister set out that the Yugoslav Government was prepared to open talks on normalization of relations with the IMF and the World Bank. 'Only after that can we count on free access to the world capital market,' said Kontic. He assessed that work on normalization of relations with international trade organizations should be carried out as well, primarily with the World Trade Organization so that Yugoslavia could make multilateral use of the most favoured nation clause. Prime Minister Kontic also underlined the significance of a speedy institutionalization of relations with the European Union so that Yugoslavia could make use of the general scheme of preferential.

[E] HUMANITARIAN AID

[07] YUGOSLAVIA'S APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

Serbian commissioner for refugees Bratislava Morina told reporters after the meeting that Yugoslavia had informed international humanitarian organisations that the repatriation of refugees would be slower than predicted by the UNHCR. The majority of the 600,000 refugees will still be in Yugoslavia in 1996 and 1997, she said. International relief workers agreed with Morina that no conditions existed for a large-scale return of refugees, saying they would do everything in their power to prevent a reduction of relief aid to Yugoslavia in 1996.

[F] FROM FOREIGN PRESS

[08] MUJAHEDDIN COMMANDER: CROATS WERE KILLED IMMEDIATELY

Zagreb press said on Friday that the delegation was touring mujaheddin camps in Zenica, Zavidovici, Orasac and Bacina in Central Bosnia to learn the truth about Croats from central Bosnia, who were captured in conflicts with Muslims in 1993 and 1994.

Zagreb press quoted the delegation as saying in a statement it had learnt that 'mujaheddin are moving to Zenica, where they can get passports' and that 'some have found jobs in humanitarian organizations and only a small part of them are leaving Bosnia.'

This is 'contrary to the Dayton accords,' the statement said.

Under the Dayton peace agreement, mercenaries are to leave Bosnia by Jan. 15.

An estimated 3,000-4,000 mujaheddin fought on the Muslim side in Bosnia-Herzegovina.