Yugoslav Daily Survey, 96-10-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] LILIC: YUGOSLAVIA'S INTERNATIONAL POSITION GROWS STRONGER

[02] IMPROVING SECURITY IN KOSOVO

[03] TURKISH MPS' VISIT TO YUGOSLAVIA HELPS DEVELOP MUTUAL COOPERATION

[04] CHINA FAVOURS PROMOTION OF RELATIONS WITH YUGOSLAVIA

[05] MILUTINOVIC'S VISIT OPENS NEW CHAPTER IN BELGRADE-VIENNA RELATIONS

[06] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC MEETS WITH OSCE MISSION DEPUTY CHIEF

[07] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA OFFICIALS MEET IFOR COMMANDERS

[08] BILDT PROMISES EQUAL TREATMENT OF BOSNIA'S TWO ENTITIES

[09] UNHCR DEMANDS MORE FROM CROATIA

[10] KEY WITNESS IN TRIAL OF BOSNIAN SERB ADMITS HE LIED

[01] LILIC: YUGOSLAVIA'S INTERNATIONAL POSITION GROWS STRONGER

The President made this statement at the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of a Library in Negotin, Eastern Serbia.

Lilic underlined that Yugoslavia was rapidly restoring old economic ties and establishing new ones throughout the world, especially with traditionally friendly countries and those which had a constructive attitude during the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, but also with those which had a hostile attitude towards Yugoslavia until recently.

Noting that Yugoslavia's international position has grown substantially stronger, that it has officially established relations with 163 countries and that over 138 Inter-state agreements have been signed, Lilic said that 65 countries presently had Embassies in Belgrade, 45 of them at the highest level - that of Ambassadors, which is an expression of recognition to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia wishes to develop good neighbourly relations and cooperation with all former Yugoslav republics on the basis of partnership and common interests, Lilic said, adding that the process of normalization with Macedonia was well advanced and was under way with Croatia.

Full normalization has been agreed with Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is a key contribution to the consolidation of peace and cooperation in the Region, Lilic said, and added that Yugoslavia would give priority in the near future to the development and promotion of relations with all former Yugoslav republics.

Yugoslavia has good and stable relations with the majority of neighbouring countries and will maintain them in the future, Lilic underlined.

Lilic recalled that Yugoslavia was presently promoting relations with the European Union as a task of highest political importance and a strategic component of its foreign policy, as Yugoslavia is economically, culturally and civilizationally inseparable from Europe. Yugoslavia wishes to promote its relations with EU as soon as possible on the basis of its earlier status of associate member and to initiate immediately afterwards a new phase of cooperation at a higher level with the aim of becoming a full member in a foreseeable future, which is in the interest of both Yugoslavia and EU, the President said.

Yugoslavia also expects immediate reintegration in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as any further postponements would be detrimental to the acceleration of the process of full stabilization in the Balkans, Lilic said.

Now that International Community sanctions have been lifted, Yugoslavia is ready to make its full contribution to the work of the UN General Assembly and other international organizations as it used to do in the past, including the time when the World Organization was being founded, especially as understanding is now growing within the International Community that a great error had been committed in limiting Yugoslavia's status and rights in international organizations, the President said.

Lilic indicated that Yugoslavia was well on the way to fully normalizing relations with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank as it had been their member since their founding, and added that talks were under way on Yugoslavia's joining the Black Sea Cooperation Organization.

Yugoslavia also attaches great importance to cooperation with the Nonaligned Movement, Lilic said, and noted that during his just ended tour of several African countries, his hosts had told him that Yugoslavia's absence was deeply felt by the Movement in the past few years.

The Nonaligned Movement is the most appropriate framework for cooperation among developing countries, the South-South cooperation, which enables developing countries to act together and united as a respected economic partner of developed countries on the basis of principles of common interests, partnership and equality, Lilic said.

[02] IMPROVING SECURITY IN KOSOVO

Sainovic and Sokolovic visited the Podujevo District in Kosovo Saturday evening following the latest terrorist attack in Surkis village Friday, in which police inspector Milos Nikolic and reserve police officer Dragan Rakic were killed in an ambush.

Meeting Serb and Montenegrin citizens of Podujevo, Sainovic and Sokolovic expressed conviction that now, after the conclusion of the Dayton Agreement and the lifting of anti-Yugoslav sanctions, everything would be done to resolve problems in a most efficient manner, especially in Kosovo and Metohija where extremist groups and individuals are trying to sow disturbance among the population and cause incidents of a larger scale.

Serbs and Montenegrins from the District told Sainovic and Sokolovic they felt concerned for their safety in the area which is most affected by Albanian extremism and terrorism.

[03] TURKISH MPS' VISIT TO YUGOSLAVIA HELPS DEVELOP MUTUAL COOPERATION

At a Press Conference held in the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (F.R.Y.), Gurkan and Bogdanovic pointed out that the prospects for bilateral contacts and joint marketing in third countries were great and should be utilized as soon as possible.

Gurkan said that certain bitter experiences the two countries had in the past were relegated to the background, with Yugoslavia and Turkey now concentrating on the future.

Gurkan pointed out that Turkey's major goal was its unification with Western Europe, and the 'principal stations on this road are Belgrade and Yugoslavia.' Yugoslavia, having been a leader of the Nonaligned Movement, was capable of acting, via Turkey, on the countries in Central Asia and the Middle East, said Gurkan.

Turkey was ready, Gurkan added, to help the Dayton Accords be implemented consistently and peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) be preserved. He stressed that Turkey would do its utmost for Yugoslavia to return to International Community institutions at the soonest.

Gurkan said that Mixed Committees would be reactivated in the field of economic, cultural, and scientific cooperation. Also to be restored, he said, would be banking, financial and transport links. Conditions for the abolition of visas would be generated, he added.

Bogdanovic stressed that the talks were open and very concrete with the Turkish Parliamentary Delegation, the first such Delegation since 1991.

Bogdanovic pointed out that Turkey, more than other countries, could contribute to the observing of the Dayton Accords and to the returning life back to normal in the territory of the BiH.

[04] CHINA FAVOURS PROMOTION OF RELATIONS WITH YUGOSLAVIA

The Chinese-Yugoslav relations have endured the test of time and are good now, Zhu said in an interview to the Belgrade daily Borba.

China has always highly appreciated the peaceful policy pursued by Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and the Yugoslav Government, the Chinese Ambassador said and added that the Yugoslav peaceful policy played an important role in the settlement of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia.

Zhu said he was confident that the Yugoslav Government would continue to pursue such policy and stimulate the peaceful resolution of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, contributing to the stability in Europe.

The Chinese Ambassador said that the Mixed Committee of Yugoslav and Chinese businessmen would soon hold a Session and expressed belief that he would make a personal contribution to a further promotion of bilateral trade relations.

[05] MILUTINOVIC'S VISIT OPENS NEW CHAPTER IN BELGRADE-VIENNA RELATIONS

The media said both countries wanted to develop and promote relations, primarily in the economic sphere, and to regain high-level cooperation of before the outbreak of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia.

Austrian National Television quoted in a news programme late Thursday Milutinovic as saying that talks had been held in a good atmosphere and that the Yugoslav delegation had received a warm welcome.

The Vienna daily Die Presse quoted Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schuessel as saying Austria backed the development and promotion of relations between Yugoslavia on one side and the European Union and other international organisations, on the other.

Schuessel said Vienna wanted to renew contracts it had closed with the former Yugoslavia, and said Agreements on the protection of investments and social welfare were to be signed soon.

Chancellor Franz Vranitzky described as vital good relations between Austria and the Balkan states, which he said had considerable economic potential, Austria Presse-Agentur reported.

[06] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC MEETS WITH OSCE MISSION DEPUTY CHIEF

She expressed hope that the rules for the Local elections would be such so as not to be at the expense of any of the sides.

[07] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA OFFICIALS MEET IFOR COMMANDERS

Krajisnik said after the meeting that a synchronised action was necessary to prevent undesirable incidents and tensions.

Krajisnik said he had informed IFOR commanders that the Muslim side did not cease provocations along the lines of separation between the two Bosnian Entities, leading to incidents such as those that have occurred in the villages of Jusici and Mahale in the Zvornik Municipal District, Eastern Republika Srpska.

Admiral Lopez described the meeting as correct and aimed at preventing incidents that happen from time to time. He also noted that houses were being torn down throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina.

[08] BILDT PROMISES EQUAL TREATMENT OF BOSNIA'S TWO ENTITIES

Dragan Kalinic said, after talks with Carl Bildt, Republika Srpska planned to build a democratic society with an open market, to enable the inflow of foreign capital, in order that the damages of the war be repaired.

Bildt said his visit to Pale had been a working visit. He had wished Kalinic the best in his new post as Parliament Speaker. Bildt said talks included other outstanding issues, including economic ones.

[09] UNHCR DEMANDS MORE FROM CROATIA

UNHCR did not say exactly what Croatia should do, but it clearly said what it had done but should not have done. For instance, repeated statements by Croatian Government that it would not tolerate much longer the situation in which Serbs are a majority population in Eastern Slavonia and that it would initiate a mass repatriation of Croats to the Region in June 1997, obviously do not contribute to restoring trust but have caused a deep concern among the Serbs in Slavonia, UNHCR said.

UNHCR described the military situation in Eastern Slavonia as quiet and stable in the past few months, but said the political situation was very complex.

Among other things, there is the issue of extending the UNTAES mandate which expires at the end of next January. Croatian Government might agree to a maximum extension of three months, reserving the next three for UNTAES withdrawal, whereas the Serbs had requested a one-year extension in line with the Erdut Agreement.

Another problem causing concern to UNHCR is the issue of elections in Eastern Slavonia. The Croatian Government demands that they be held by December 15 this year, while the United Nations believe this cannot be done before next February or March.

UNHCR believes the problem can be resolved by restoring trust, which would depend on both sides showing maximum tolerance and wisdom.

[10] KEY WITNESS IN TRIAL OF BOSNIAN SERB ADMITS HE LIED

Dragan Opacic, so far known only as witness 'L', said he had lied in his first testimony in August, because Muslim police forced him to do so.

Tribunal Deputy Prosecutor Grant Niemann on Friday called on the judges to regard the witness's statement as null and void, news agencies reported and added that the charges against Tadic in connection with the Trnopolje Camp in Northeastern Bosnia-Herzegovina had been dropped.

War crimes investigator Robert William Reid said the witness had admitted that the Muslim Government in Sarajevo had forced him to give false evidence against Tadic in the trial which opened on May 7.

The Associated Press news agency said Opacic had explained that he had been ordered to give false evidence or he would be murdered.

Tadic's legal counsel Mikhail Vladimirov said that a public hearing was scheduled for Friday, when witnesses would publicly state that Opacic, who was under age at the time, had not been in Trnopolje and that he could not have known whether Tadic was in the Camp and whether he was doing anything there.

News agencies said that although the charges for the alleged crimes in Trnopolje had been dropped, Tadic could still be sentenced on other charges.

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