Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-03-10

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] DJUKANOVIC LEAVES FOR U.S.

[02] ANNAN STRONGLY CITICISES CROATIA FOR VIOLATION OF SERBS' RIGHTS

[03] STUDENT VICE-RECTOR VOJIN DJURDJEVIC RESIGNS

[04] BELGRADE UNIVERSITY RECTOR RESIGNS

[05] MINISTER TODOROVIC TRUSTS STUDENTS AND CHANCELLOR TO KEEP PROMISES

[06] RATKO MARKOVIC CALLS ON STUDENTS TO RETURN TO COURSES

[07] PLAVSIC SATISFIED WITH OUTCOME OF VIENNA CONFERENCE ON BRCKO

[08] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER FAVORS PEACEFUL SOLUTION FOR BRCKO

[09] DRAFT LAW ON CONFIRMATION OF FRY-RS AGREEMENT ON SPECIAL RELATIONS

[10] STUDENTS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO CLASS ON MONDAY

[01] DJUKANOVIC LEAVES FOR U.S.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-08

[02] ANNAN STRONGLY CITICISES CROATIA FOR VIOLATION OF SERBS' RIGHTS

The situation is most critical in the area of Knin where municipal and state authorities have denied Serbs access to their property, the statement said. The ethnic structure of the area is changed systematically by populating it with tens of thousands of Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the statement said.

Nearly all programmes of the UNHCR for the repatriation of Serbs have failed because of the Croatian Government's inefficiency, the statement said.

Annan also said Croatia's cooperation with the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was not satisfactory.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-08

[03] STUDENT VICE-RECTOR VOJIN DJURDJEVIC RESIGNS

Djurdjevic told the press that he had resigned 'with the wish that my fellow-students successfully resume their studies.'

Djurdjevic said that 'the University should be a place where we will aquire knowledge, contrubite to the development of science and develop mutual friendships, with consideration of all the differences between us.'

Djurdjevic expressed regret that agreement on the continuation of lectures had not been reached a month ago when he met with the representatives of the student protest and when it would have been much easier to make up for the time lost, specially in the sphere of technical and natural sciencies.

He said that the student protest was politically motivated.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-07

[04] BELGRADE UNIVERSITY RECTOR RESIGNS

In a letter to the Council Velickovic stated he was 'resigning at the end of his second term in office' after the fulfilling of his demand, upon which he had insisted from the very start: that the students return to the universties and that classes resume, and 'after the students decided to study and the faculties to resume workin the interest of learning and scientific work.'

By resigning I have kept my promise to the students made two months ago, Velickovic said.

According to him, the Uuniversity should be 'a place of hard work, learning and scientific development in the interest of our country, its citizens and primarily the young generation.'

He said that he had resisted pressure by a part of the opposition parties and a part of the teaching staff 'in their attempts to manipulate the students and thus realize their aims.'

Velickovic said that he had resigned out of moral reasons and that he had not wanted to submit to 'pressure from the streets and to party whims which recently escalated.' 'The University and its rector were not involved in the counting of the votes,' he said and added that the student demands for his ousting, because he refused to join them in their political actions, was 'unfounded because those were not student demands.'

'One of the reasons why I refused to submit to pressure is that my resignation was demanded by a small number of students of our University which has 65,000 young people,' Velickovic said. He underscored that he refused to accept a minorty pressuing the majority because these were not student demands 'but purely political and party whims.'

'I could not let myself adress the students in the market, as this would degrade the position of the rector and the Unversity,' Velickovic said.

Velickovic expressed hope that the University would return to normal and that the students would resume their studies, 'especially since the majority of students support such a solution.'

He said that he is certain the faculties would manage to organize lectures and that the students would make up for time lost. 'University lectures are our major and holy task and this should not be brought into question by any dean, Rector or Minister,' Velickovic said. He added that 'no-one should threaten this holy task which is respected by the entire world.'

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-07

[05] MINISTER TODOROVIC TRUSTS STUDENTS AND CHANCELLOR TO KEEP PROMISES

'Since the Chancellor kept his promise and resigned as soon as students returned to classes, I believe the students will keep their promise and continue classes as usual,' he said.

The Minister said he believed this would be the best solution for all concerned. He said he was confident these promises would be fullfilled and said he Believed they would lead to the necessary normalization of the situation at the University of Belgrade.

In keeping with the authorities vested in him by Chancellor Velickovic, Vice-Chancellor Tomislav Dragovic will be acting Chancellor as of Saturday, March 8, Minister Todorovic said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-07

[06] RATKO MARKOVIC CALLS ON STUDENTS TO RETURN TO COURSES

According to him, there are methods of protest which are not conditional on regular course and studies, such as panels, the media.

The students wanted to play on their popularity at all levels of the society, as young people full of enthusiasm, but they did not come out as students but as a group for exerting political pressure with exclusively political aspirations, he said.

Asked by Borba what he thought about the decision of the majority of deans (27 out of 30) to establish a parallel university administration, Markovic said it was an unlawful act. From the political point of view, there are social forces standing behind these institutions. Lacking legitimacy, and by using methods of coercion, pressure and blackmail, they have formed illegitimate institutions. These institutions also lack the support of citizens, Markovic said.

Asked why the state had waited so long to react to the illegal behaviour of people who are paid by the state, Markovic said his explanation was that the state's intention was to try to find a solution by all democratic methods, not by using the levers of power. When things got to the point that a good part of the population was irritated by the situation on the University, after an interruption of courses for almost four months, and when open conflict was about to break out between citizens who supported one thesis and those who supported another, then the Rector, and later the Government, made their move, Markovic said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-07

[07] PLAVSIC SATISFIED WITH OUTCOME OF VIENNA CONFERENCE ON BRCKO

Asked after the Conference to what extent was the R.S. delegation satisfied with its outcome, Plavsic said the delegation was as satisfied with it as with the Dayton Agreement. She said the results of the Conference would be seen in the time to come. She said the world community only insisted on the implementation of that defined by the Dayton Agreement. She said a solution would be found for a speedy implementation of the Agreement, saying all that could help achieve the goal would be included in that solution.

'It is just a matter of compromise to which we are already used to... viewed in this way we can say that we are satisfied,' she said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-08

[08] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER FAVORS PEACEFUL SOLUTION FOR BRCKO

'We firmly believe every solution must respect the vital interests of Republika Srpska, regarding its territorial integrity and unity. That's why we urged that Brcko and its vicinity remain permanently an integral part of Republika Srpska,' Milutinovic told Yugoslav reporters.

'The transition period of one year, until a final solution to the town's status, should be made use of to secure conditions for achieving this vital aim, in the interest of peace, stability and prosperity not only in Republika Srpska, but throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina and the whole region. 'Every other solution would reignite conflict and cause destabilization, with incalculable consequences,' Milutinovic said.

We want Brcko to be an open town, with free movement of people, goods, services and capital, said Milutinovic, who headed Yugoslavia's delegation in Vienna.

Asked about repatriation, Milutinovic said Yugoslavia, which cares for about 600,000 refugees, called for a free and safe return of all refugees, with guarantees of equality and freedom, including repatriation to Brcko.

Any fragmentary approach to this complex humanitarian and political issue would lead to discrimination against refugees from different parts of former Yugoslavia, said Milutinovic. We believe the international community should put in additional effort to collect funds for the reconstruction of Brcko, so that it may assume the role it should, Milutinovic said in conclusion.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-07

[09] DRAFT LAW ON CONFIRMATION OF FRY-RS AGREEMENT ON SPECIAL RELATIONS

Under the Agreement, the two sides confirmed their resolution to promote relations on the basis of friendship, trust, cooperation and the respect of mutual interests, in keeping with the principles of independence, non- interference in internal affairs, equality and the respect of human rights and basic freedoms.

The Agreement has created even more favourable conditions for the further development of comprehensive relations. It is based on the lasting interests and longterm aims of FRY and RS in the development of close ties and relations in all spheres. The Agreement also enables the dynamics of the overall relations and FRY's cooperation with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Agreement is based on the principles of the Dayton-Paris Agreement, the U.N. Charter and the Paris Charter.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-07

[10] STUDENTS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO CLASS ON MONDAY

Student protest leader Dusan Popovic told students gathered in downtown Belgrade on Friday that protests should be continued until a session of the University Council, scheduled for March 20.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-07

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