Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-03-04

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT BERISHA ON KOSOVO

[02] "MONITOR": GERMAN CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS IN CROATIA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

[03] THE SERB FEAR WAS JUSTIFIED

[04] U.N. REPORT ON IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL LAW INITIATED BY MILOSEVIC

[05] YUGOSLAV INFORMATION MINISTER RECEIVES RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

[06] YUGOSLAVIA AND FRANCE DISCUSS REOPENING AIR LINKS

[07] SERBIAN MINISTER TOMIC ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN THE ECONOMIC SPHERE

[08] KONTIC CONTINUES CONSULTATIONS ON NEW FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

[01] ALBANIAN PRESIDENT BERISHA ON KOSOVO

Asked about the Albanian terrorism in Kosovo and its leaders, Berisha said 'I do not believe these are Albanians at all,' insinuating they were Serb 'paramilitary forces.' However, he said that Albania would not sit idle if the Serbian authorities resorted to severe measures to try and deal with the terrorists in Kosovo. 'We must help in every way we can those who offer resistance,' said Berisha, adding that they were members of the same nation.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-03

[02] "MONITOR": GERMAN CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS IN CROATIA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

This is the second time that "Monitor" deals with illegal German activities in the war in the former Yugoslavia.

Last September, a story was first uncovered on Kristof von Becold, head of the German delegation within EU monitoring mission for Croatia and Bosnia, who was actually a secret agent of the German secret service -BND. The story aired on ARD incited headed debates in Germany and even the deputies of the Bundestag discussed von Becold.

The head of German diplomacy, Klaus Kinkel, a one-time head of the BND himself, stated on 20 September 1996:"There is no other associates of the BND in the German contingent of EU monitoring mission." New report presented in "Monitor" effectively deny the statement of the German Foreign Minister.

According to the latest information, Germany has for long abused the European Union for its illegal activities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The members of German secret service operated under the guise of white uniforms and credentials of the EU monitoring mission. The headquarters for the operations was in a villa situated in the diplomatic quarter of Zagreb.

The head of German agents was above mentioned Kristof von Becold. He was in charge of operations in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. His collaborators were not exclusively the members of the BND, since German secret service gladly took part-timers into its employ. One of such part- time agents received 15.000 DM for his part in secret operations - he consented to uncovering the illegal activities before the ARD cameras.

His testimony confirms that Germans, under the guise of EU monitoring mission, transferred ammunition to Bihac. Ammunition was concealed in packages allegedly containing powdered milk and baby food. "Monitor" reporters followed this lead and ultimately the story was confirmed in Bihac. Doctors and staff of the local hospital admitted to the journalists that the German monitors transported concealed ammunition in vans carrying the EU flag. There are records on the takeover of the "goods". Only on one occasion. On 27 March 1994 only, a German "monitor" shipped 17,280 various calibre bullets.

German secret service did not send only military assistance to the Muslims. From the Zagreb headquarters, agents and collaborators of the BND shipped to Sarajevo large quantities of money. As uncovered by the "Monitor" the Muslim authorities received on a regular basis money shipments amounting to 50,000 DM.

In the hierarchy of German secret service in Zagreb an important post was held by Colonel Grapengeter. He was deputy head of the mission and in charge of military matters. Before coming to the Balkans, Colonel Grapengeter was working in the Balkan department of the BND and was transferred to Zagreb from Rome. Grapengeter was major liaison of the German secret service with high-ranking representatives of Croatian and Muslim army.

As it turned out, the Headquarters of the BND in Zagreb had a major role in arming Croatia. This is where meetings were held to discuss ways to secretly arm the Croatian army and assist its activities against the Serbs in Krajina and eastern Slavonia.

One of the participants in the talks testified that they mostly discussed procurement of arms, particularly combat aircraft. It was then that they agreed on the delivery of MIG's 21 from the stock of the former East German army. Croatian side was promised aircraft and Zagreb was supposed to obtain arms for the aircraft elsewhere.

Shortly afterwards, there was a military parade in Zagreb to show new tanks, helicopters and planes. According to military experts whose source are western intelligence services, the shipment of arms from Germany to Croatia could have been effected only with overwhelming assistance of the BND.

In last night's "Monitor", there was a photograph of Kristof von Becold and a few former officers of the German army. The photograph was made at a tennis court in Zagreb. Among the men there is one Hans Dengler, former test pilot in the German army. His specialty were "MIG's".

Yesterday afternoon, there was a session at the Bundestag of the control commission of the German parliament to discuss the activities of the BND in Croatia and Bosnia. As a witness, the President of the Federal Information Service - as German secret service is officially called - Hans Jorg Geiger was summoned. It was a closed-door session and no information will be forthcoming. The latest data uncovered in the "Monitor" were supposed to make the deputies and Bundestag to publicly speak out the German secret activities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Politika, 1997-02-28

[03] THE SERB FEAR WAS JUSTIFIED

Galbraith assessed that in this respect "the results in Eastern Slavonia are good" and said that in other regions of Croatia, however, those results were "not so good."

"In Krajina region the remaining Serbian population is still exposed to terror including plundering, threats and occasionally murders. Croatia continues to deny the right to return of Croatian Serbs who fled in the face of military offensive. These people are not optants. They actually fled from war and from what happened afterwards in Krajina - the systematic arson and large-scale killings proved that the fear of the Serbs was justified", Galbraith refuted the recently presented positions of Franjo Tudjman.

In emphasizing that "Croatia has to allow the return of all Croatian citizens of Serbian nationality who wish to accept their rights and obligations as Croatian citizens", Galbraith singled out elections in the area of UNTAES as a next "critical step" saying that there was no need for postponement (13 April 1997), but "under the condition that all Croatian citizens of Serbian nationality be allowed to obtain the Croatian documents".

Dwelling on the issue of war crimes, Galbraith said that "war crimes cannot be attributed to entire ethnic communities but to individuals".

"Terrible crimes have happened and the justice has to be served. But we have to be aware of the fact that the crimes were perpetrated by individuals not by an ethnic group. As a group, the Serbs did not commit any more crimes than the Croats did, as a group. But, the crimes were made by individuals and we have to hold them responsible for their crimes."

Galbraith said:"Croatia is now an independent democratic State within borders recognized by the world and Yugoslavia. Her place is safe and her future is bright. But Croatia will not be able to take her place in the community of western countries without reconciliation within her borders. In addition to confidence it is also necessary to acknowledge the fact that both Croats and Serbs have suffered throughout the war. Croats were brutally expelled from Vukovar and their homes in this area.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Politika, 1997-02-28

[04] U.N. REPORT ON IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL LAW INITIATED BY MILOSEVIC

The report quoted Milosevic as saying that the Special Law should be adopted to repair relations with the international community, in particular the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

New deputies of the opposition 'Zajedno' have taken their posts in the municipalities where they won and attention is now moving to freedom of expression and media, said the report.

Newly-appointed Serbian information minister Radmila Milentijevic said at the very beginning of her mandate that a new Republican Law on information would soon be adopted, the report said.

Serbian authorities have already permitted small local television and radio stations to work independently, or under the control of the opposition in places where they obtained the majority vote at the local elections, such as for instance in Nis and Kragujevac.

In the part about Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija, the report said the situation there gave much reason for deep concern, contrary to the situation in other parts of Serbia, specifying that the main reason for this was terrorism by Albanian separatists.

There were several attacks on Serbian authorities in the first weeks of this year, including police, in which there were several casualties, the report said. The so-called Army for the Liberation of Kosovo has claimed responsibility for these attacks. Police have arrested about 100 people suspected of belonging to this terrorist organization. Large quantities of arms and explosives were found during these arrests, the report said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-03

[05] YUGOSLAV INFORMATION MINISTER RECEIVES RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

Milentijevic and Kotov stressed the significance of the improvement of relations between their countries in all spheres, especially in the field of information, in order to improve the false image of Serbia in the world public.

Kotov stressed the existence of an absolute political consensus in the Russian Federation to support Yugoslavia's return to all world organizations and institutions, especially financial ones.

Milentijevic noted that Yugoslavia expected Russian support in the world organizations pertaining to the implementation of the Dayton Accords, as well as defending the interests of the Serbs in the region of Eastern Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-03

[06] YUGOSLAVIA AND FRANCE DISCUSS REOPENING AIR LINKS

The French side was very understanding and respectful about the interests of Yugoslavia, said sources close to the delegation.

ICAO Regional Office Director Christian Eigl showed much interest in resolving the question of air links in southeastern Europe.

The Yugoslav delegation invited Eigl and the first man of ICAO, Assad Kotaite, to visit Yugoslavia in April, which was accepted.

The delegation also met leaders of the Conference of European Ministers of Transport (CEMT) and discussed renewal of cooperation and Yugoslavia's participation in the work of the Conference.

The CEMT deals with transportation issues and makes plans for the regional transport development. Yugoslavia was a founder of CEMT and a full member until 1991.

Yugoslav Minister for transport and communications Zoran Vujovic, who headed the delegation, laid particular stress to the advantages of including Yugoslavia into the European network of transport corridors.

He called on the CEMT Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General to support him prior to a Pan-European Conference on transportation, to be held in Helsinki in June, which is expected to define transport corridors in southeastern Europe. These were Yugoslavia's first official talks with the CEMT in the last six years.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-03

[07] SERBIAN MINISTER TOMIC ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN THE ECONOMIC SPHERE

Speaking at a meeting with local businessmen in the Vranje City Council, Tomic said that in 1997 the physical scope of production in Serbia would rise by 10%, industrial production 14%, exports 40% and that a stable exchange rate, prices and a strong dinar (national currency) would be preserved.

'The zero-inflation will remain and there will be no new printing of currency. We also plan to improve living standards,' Tomic said.

He assessed that the initial revival of the production following the suspension of the sanctions, was halted by the November events, but that, despite that, economic activity has increased by 10%, and exports 40% which means that 'the results would have been double had not the situation in late 1996 deteriorated.'

'After the calming of the situation, we expect the overall situation to improve, especially since we expect to reach agreement on Yugoslavia's return into the international community and the world banking institutions after which we expect an inflow of foreign capital,' Tomic said.

He announced the reconstruction of the banking system with the aim of enabling the banks to function at an optimum and cooperate with foreign banks regarding loans and capital flow.

Tomic said that the draft law on privatization would most probably be presented to the Serbian Parliament this month in order to be incorporated into the legal procedure.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-03

[08] KONTIC CONTINUES CONSULTATIONS ON NEW FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Taking part in talks with the Premier designate were head of that party club Laslo Joza, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians deputy Istvan Pastor and 'Vojvodina' coalition deputy Miodrag Isakov.

The Social Democratic Party of Montenegro did not respond to the invitation to take part in consultations.

Kontic informed party club representatives about the new Yugoslav Government program concept, basic experience from the work done so far and proposals for improving the organization of Federal ministries and the work of the Federal Government.

Kontic informed representatives of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians and the 'Vojvodina' coalition about the program of the future government which will be primarily be aimed at building a modern, democratic, legal and social state, building an open market economy, raising the standard of living and improving the social security of citizens.

When representatives of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians asked what would be the government's stand on human rights and minorities, Kontic said that an important part of government activities would focus on the realization of human rights and the rights of national minorities as guaranteed by the Constitution and determined by laws, in accordance with the highest international standards.

The Premier designate laid out a concept of measures and activities for promoting the organization and methods of work of what will be the third Government of FR of Yugoslavia.

Representatives of the National Party of Montenegro in the Chamber of Citizens, who were invited to the consultations, did not come to take part in talks about the program and composition of the new Yugoslav government, the statement said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-04 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-03

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