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Yugoslav Daily Survey 96-05-31
CONTENTS
[01] RUSSIA,YUGOSLAVIA HAVE IDENTICAL VIEWPOINTS ON PEACE AGREEMENT
[02] MILOSEVIC RECEIVES PRIMAKOV
[03] BULATOVIC AND PRIMAKOV STRESS IMPORTANCE OF ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA
[04] RUSSIAN MINISTER PRIMAKOV SATISFIED WITH VISIT TO YUGOSLAVIA
[05] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS PROSECUTING KARADZIC COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
[06] YUGOSLAV MINISTER: DAYTON ACCORD APPLICATION IS NECESSARY FOR PEACE
[07] ALLEGED MASS GRAVES IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA CANNOT BE FOUND
[08] SERBS UPHOLD INITIATIVE FOR THEIR REGION'S SPECIAL STATUS IN CROATIA
[01] RUSSIA,YUGOSLAVIA HAVE IDENTICAL VIEWPOINTS ON PEACE AGREEMENT
B e l g r a d e, May 30 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav President Zoran Lilic and Russian Foreign Minister
Yevgeniy Primakov talked on Thursday about bilateral political and economic cooperation and current
issues related to he peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Two sides showed an identity of viewpoints on
the consistent implementation of the Bosnia peace agreement on the basis of the accords signed in Dayton
and Paris at the end of 1995.
Lilic stressed tha as the implementation of the Dayton accords was nearing its end all parties in the
peace process had a growing resposniblity to eradicate all forms of extremism and the international
comnunity to treat all sides equally, in order to safeguard peace and precent the breakout of new conflicts
which would jeoaprdise the entire area.
He said the international war crimes tribunal in the Hague would also have to adhere to the
principle of equality when determining war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.
Lilic stressed that priorities of Yugoslavia's policy were peace in the territory of the former
Bosnia-Herzegovina and in the region, economic revival and development and added 'the international
community should give a true value to Yugoslavia's peaceloving and constructive policy and its role in the
peace process.'
He pointed to the need of Yugoslavia's speedier integration in international financial and trade
institutions and added that any new conditions posed to yugoslavia in that process were totally
unacceptable.
He said that Russia and Yugoslavia shared their interests in many spheres and expressed his
gratitude to Russia for its consistent engagement in the settlement of the crisis in the territory of the former
Yugoslavia and the humanitarian aid sent to Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska.
'Unfortunately, the need for humanitarian aid still remains,' Lilic said adding that 500,000 refugees
in Yugoslavia alone are hoping to get the chance to return to their homes with the implementation of the
peace agreement.
Expressing satisfaction with the continuation of the regular dialogue between the two countries at
the highest level, Lilic said that Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin
had a standing invitation to visit Yugoslavia.
Primakov positively assessed the first results in the implementation of the basic agreement on the
Srem-Baranja region, area predomnantly populated by Serbs.
Speaking about economic cooperation and trade between Russia and Yugoslavia, Primakov
pointed to possible future forms of economic cooperation, including the establishment of joint ventures and
joint appearance on third markets and the possibility of the settlement of Yugoslav claims from Russian
firms.
[02] MILOSEVIC RECEIVES PRIMAKOV
B e l g r a d e, May 30 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and Russian Foreign
Minister Yevgeny Primakov assessed on Thursday that the begun process of normalization in the territory
of former Yugoslavia was the safest way to eliminate the consequences of the crisis and to speed-up the
progress of regional countries.
Milosevic and Primakov especially underscored that it was necessary that international factors,
including Russia, support the development of future relations between the regional countries on the basis of
equality and affirmation of the responsibility of Balkan peoples for their own future.
During the meeting, views were exchanged on political trends and the situation in the Balkans. It
was agreed that the peace process in the territory of former hostilities in Bosnia-Herzegovina was
proceeding successfully.
It was also underscored that Yugoslavia and Russia are linked by stable friendly relations based on
equality, trust and the traditional closeness of their peoples. The two sides pointed out the importance of
direct and continuous political dialogue between Belgrade and Moscow. Mutual interest was expressed in
the continued successful development of bilateral cooperation, especially in the area of the economy. It was
assessed that developed business contacts between the economic partners of the two countries, their joint
projects and business deals, and wide possibilities for mutual use of the complementary advantages in many
branches of the economy, were in the focus of attention of the Yugoslav and Russian economies.
Milosevic and Primakov also considered a positive approach to settling obligations formed within
the trade cooperation realized in the past.
[03] BULATOVIC AND PRIMAKOV STRESS IMPORTANCE OF ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA
B e l g r a d e, May 30 (Tanjug) - Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic and Russian Foreign
Minister Yevgeniy Primakov siad on Thursday the most important task was the continuation of the peace
process which means the holding of Bosnia elections as scheduled.
Primakov highly estimated Yugoslavia's and Montenegro's contribution in the adoption and the
implementation of the Dayton agreement. Primakov said Russia would do its utmost for the consistent
implementation of the provisions agreed upon in Dayton and in Paris and therefore for the just resolution of
the crisis in the former Yugoslavia.
Consistent and comprehensive application of the pace agreement comprises equal treatment of all
sides in the conflict, the two sides said and agreed peace and mutual normalisation of relations is the best
guarantee for stability in this part of Europe. It was also pointed out that the Prevlaka promontory in the
southern Adriatic was of great importance for lasting peace, as the most important condition for the mutual
recognition and normalisation of relations between Yugoslavia and Croatia.
Bulatovic stressed Russia's role in the resolution of the problem of the Yugoslav crisis and its
importance in the consistent implementation of the peace agreement.
The two sides paid special attention to the need of immediate return of Yugoslavia into
international political, financial and trade organisations without any additional conditions.
Bulatovic welcomed the draft agreement signed on Wednesday between Russian and Yugoslav
Foreign Ministries under which a Russian Consulate will be opened in Podgorica.
[04] RUSSIAN MINISTER PRIMAKOV SATISFIED WITH VISIT TO YUGOSLAVIA
B e l g r a d e, May 30 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav leadership is absolutely convinced it is necessary
that all agreements of the peace accords initialed in Dayton, and signed in Paris should be followed through
and elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina held as scheduled, Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said
on Thursday.
On his departure from Yugoslavia, Primakov said that such an approach, which will lead to a
stabilization of the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, was also confirmed by Serbian President Slobodan
Milosevic.
This will make it possible for the Republika Srpska to acquire legitimacy for the first time, and
that sanctions are lifted, although, in his opinion, they should have been lifted even sooner. The lifting of
sanctions is conditioned by the holding of elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he pointed out. Primakov
indicated that many views had been identical. He highly praised the results of talks with Yugoslav officials
and said he was leaving Belgrade with a feeling of optimism.
He said the development of bilateral cooperation had also been much discussed during his visit and
pointed out that the development of relations between the two countries had good prospects.
The economies of Russia and Yugoslavia are in many ways complementary, he said. The direction
of future economic cooperation has already been marked, and the two countries share close views on many
international problems in the area of politics, Primakov concluded.
[05] RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS PROSECUTING KARADZIC COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
B e l g r a d e, May 30 (Tanjug) - Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said Thursday in
Moscow that he opposed the western efforts to try Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic for war crimes
and threat of new economic sanctions against Belgrade. 'Such a line (is) counterproductive insofar as it can
only arouse further difficulties and even wreck the peace process.'
Praizing Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic's great contribution to peace, Primakov said that
'reintroducing sanctions against Belgrade would mean the breakdown of the peace process with all the
consequences of that risk and the danger to the contigents of the western countries.'
BALKAN WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
[06] YUGOSLAV MINISTER: DAYTON ACCORD APPLICATION IS NECESSARY FOR PEACE
B r u s s e l s, May 30 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Minister Margit Savovic said on Thursday that lasting
peace in former Yugoslavia depended on all states in the region adhering to the Dayton accords. Savovic
was speaking at a Balkan women's conference, organised by the Belgian Foreign Ministry and the Brussels-
based European Commission.
Urgent reconstruction of Bosnia-Herzegovina would be the best way to surmount mutual distrust
there and reduce tensions, Savovic said. She added that both entities in Bosnia-Herzegovina must be given
equal treatment.
Savovic said that Yugoslavia was working for a Balkan region where all citizens would have equal
rights, regardless of nation and creed, as the only way to reintegrate the region into Europe.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
[07] ALLEGED MASS GRAVES IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA CANNOT BE FOUND
Z v o r n i k, May 30 (Tanjug) - Six members of the Hague international tribunal for war crimes in
former Yugoslavia have searched in vain for alleged mass graves in the area of Zvornik and Srebrenica in
eastern Bosnia-Herzegovina.
All day Wednesday, escorted by members of the IFOR, investigators toured a number of locations
which Muslim news media and certain media in other countries said contained mass graves, but did not find
anything.
SREM - BARANJA REGION
[08] SERBS UPHOLD INITIATIVE FOR THEIR REGION'S SPECIAL STATUS IN CROATIA
B o r o v o, May 30 (Tanjug) - The town Councils of Tenja and Mirkovci upheld on Thursday an
initiative of the Council of Vukovar, capital of the Serb region of eastern Slavonia, Barania and west Srem,
for the region to be given special status inside Croatia. The special status would give the region its own
parliament, government, police, regional citizenship and passport, its own money, school programmes,
anthem, coat-of-arms and flag and economic self-goverment, according to the local press office in Borovo.
The special status concept within Croatia envisages for the region's permanent demilitarisation and for
regional citizenship and suffrage to be given after six months' uninterrupted residence in the region.
The Croatian President would have the right to veto regulations passed by the regional parliament
if that body should overstep its authority. The initiative will shortly be submitted to the Councils of Beli
Manastir and Dalj for approval.
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