Yugoslav Daily Survey 96-05-17

Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory

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

CONTENTS

[01] GOVERNMENT ADOPTS PRINCIPLES FOR SETTING UP TRIBUNAL'S BELGRADE OFFICE

[02] YUGOSLAV PREMIER: GOVERNMENT HAS NO CONFLICT WITH NATIONAL BANK, BUT WITH ITS GOVERNOR AS AN INDIVIDUAL

[03] YUGOSLAV NATIONAL BANK GOVERNOR AVRAMOVIC DISMISSED

[04] UPPER CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT PASSES BILLS ON CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP AND FIRMS

[05] YUGOSLAV ECONOMIC COUNCIL SAYS FIRM MONETARY POLICY SHOULD BE KEPT

[06] IT IS NECESSARY TO SECURE CONDITIONS FOR SPEEDY REINTEGRATION OF REFUGEES

[07] WORKING GROUP FOR HUMANITARIAN ISSUES HAILS YUGOSLAVIA'S ROLE

[08] GOOD COOPERATION BETWEEN FRY AND LIBYA IN TRANSPORTATION

[09] GEN. WALKER: DECISION TO HAND OVER MUSLIM TERRORISTS TO SERBS WAS RIGHT

[01] GOVERNMENT ADOPTS PRINCIPLES FOR SETTING UP TRIBUNAL'S BELGRADE OFFICE

The office will operate in keeping with the Yugoslav Constitution and other laws and the liaison officer and bureau officials will enjoy diplomatic immunity and all privileges in accordance with the international law.

It is in Yugoslavia's interest that all persons who have violated international humanitarian law in the former Yugoslavia be punished, regardless of their nationality and religion. Under the agreement, the bureau will have to talk with all those who wish to make statements in connection with war crimes.

The fact that the largest number of people indicted by the tribunal are Serbs was justified by the non-existence of a liaison office on the Serb side and a lack of possibilities that investigators get relevant information about Muslim and Croat criminals.

[02] YUGOSLAV PREMIER: GOVERNMENT HAS NO CONFLICT WITH NATIONAL BANK, BUT WITH ITS GOVERNOR AS AN INDIVIDUAL

Yugoslavia badly needs foreign capital and cooperation with international financial organizations, primarily the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, and the Government does not believe different in any stand, Kontic said. He underscored that the Government had not sat idle in the past period and had not waited for the IMF to address it to normalize relations, but had worked on preparing five standard economic projects in parallel with the activities on regulating its status in the IMF. The Fund asks for these projects, he said, when it decides on new financial arrangements.

Kontic said Yugoslavia had at 1993 accepted the economic conditions set by the IMF Executive Directors for legal-formal succession of IMF membership, to participate with 36.52% in the overall assets and liabilities of the former federation, to carry out all statutary articles of the IMF and settle all due obligations, but that it had at the time raised the issue of continuity. 'We said that our option for 36.52% could not be a precedent for regulating the status of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in any other international financial or trade organization and that this especially could not be a prejudgement of the debate within the group for succession of the Geneva conference,' Kontic specified.

However, he said, the normalization of relations with the IMF did not take place because of a fourth condition - that the IMF board of executive directors decide if the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia can meet its financial obligations or not and be a member. 'It is evident that this was a purely political decision, since the United States practically dominates the IMF, in fact the board of executive directors,' he said.

Kontic underscored that Yugoslavia's proposal that the deadline of June 14 for regulating relations with the IMF be extended to Dec. 14, does not mean urging that the talks resume only after six months.

This request was sent only as security in case relations with the IMF were not normalized until June 14, since 'we would then be treated not as a country which legally-formally inherits IMF membership, but as a completely new country,' Kontic said. The request for an extension of deadline does not mean that Yugoslavia shall not normalize relations with the Fund already in July, or that this should not be done, he pointed out, adding that Governor Avramovic had also taken part in working out the platform for talks with the IMF, except in March this year when he was abroad for a longer period.

Kontic said he was confident the IMF letter dated May 8 opened prospects for a continuation of talks with the Fund. He reiterated that it was the Government's stand that there should be no insistence on economic continuity and that the question of political and legal continuity be resolved in the United Nations.

He said the Government had opted for the alternative of using facilities for debt servicing with the Paris and London Clubs, because it was their practice to grant 20% off a debt at the start and subject the remainder to reorganization.

Kontic said 'the platform clearly states that the only possible way to pay debts is through their refinancing.'

[03] YUGOSLAV NATIONAL BANK GOVERNOR AVRAMOVIC DISMISSED

[04] UPPER CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT PASSES BILLS ON CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP AND FIRMS

The law on the transformation of social capital calls for the compulsory establishment of the value and structure of firm capital and independence of staff in deciding to launch proceedings for a change of ownership.

Under the law, each firm must assess the value of its capital according to a methodology unique for the entire country which will be determined by the Yugoslav Finance Ministry. Each firm must express the value of the capital in dinars and present it as account stocks. A change of ownership of social capital is possible through sales of stocks, their transference into funds, by turning investments and outstandings into a lasting deposit, and by selling the firm.

The law separates the offices of owner and manager, prevents abuse by majority owners and guarantees the right of minority owners in firms, which are no longer distinguished according to type of ownership but model of organization.

[05] YUGOSLAV ECONOMIC COUNCIL SAYS FIRM MONETARY POLICY SHOULD BE KEPT

Public sector's income has been reduced in comparison with the GNP, participants said and added that it was necessary to reduce public expenditure and eliminate hidden budget deficits created through the postponement of budget obligations, it was said in a statement released after the session.

Economic activities should increase on the basis of additional, both foreign and domestic capital and considerable growth of exports, the statement said and added that 'the concept of economic and development policy is no excuse for unfavourable export movements.' It was confirmed that economic development should primarily be based on the export orientation and that the payment balance deficit was necessary to a certain degree, provided that it be fully financed from foreign capital and not from the hard currency reserves.

In order to increase exports, it is necessary to spur on profitable economic projects and to secure the legal security of financial investments, which is a condition for an expected influx of foreign and domestic capital.

It is also necessary to activate structural changes in the Yugoslav economy, including privatization, the statement said.

[06] IT IS NECESSARY TO SECURE CONDITIONS FOR SPEEDY REINTEGRATION OF REFUGEES

The talks, also attended by UNHCR representative for Hungary, Philippe Lebreveux, focused on possibilities for the return to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia of refugees who found refuge in Hungary.

For the mass return of refugees it is necessary to secure conditions for their speedy reintegration in the society to which they are returning. It was also said that Yugoslavia had bourne the biggest burden in providing for the people affected by the crisis and war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia although aid by international humanitarian organizations was not always adequate.

[07] WORKING GROUP FOR HUMANITARIAN ISSUES HAILS YUGOSLAVIA'S ROLE

The meeting focusing on humanitarian issues in former Yugoslavia was held precisely as international community is striving to implement the Dayton accord provisions on refugee repatriation, said Raicevic.

The Yugoslav delegation said at the session that mass repatriation of refugees and displaced persons could be expected only after elections in Bosnia scheduled for mid-September, Raicevic said.

[08] GOOD COOPERATION BETWEEN FRY AND LIBYA IN TRANSPORTATION

The talks dealt especially with furthering cooperation in the fields of maritime transportation, shipbuilding, employment of yugoslav firms and experts in libya and with the possibility of using the Yugoslav maritime port of Bar.

[09] GEN. WALKER: DECISION TO HAND OVER MUSLIM TERRORISTS TO SERBS WAS RIGHT

According to the peace accord, such an armed group, whether military or civilian, is considered a threat to peace, Gen. Walker said. IFOR must hand over any such group to the authorities of the territory in which they were captured, although IFOR would also very much like to question them, Walker explained.