Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-03-17

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] MINISTER MILUTINOVIC ARRIVES IN PARIS

[02] PARLIAMENT RATIFIES ACCORD ON RELATIONS BETWEEN RS, FRY

[03] ARMY TAKES ALL MEASURES TO PROTECT YUGOSLAV TERRITORY

[04] GERMANY THANKFUL TO FRY FOR HELPING EVACUATION FROM ALBANIA

[05] YUGOSLAVIA EVACUATES EMBASSY'S PERSONAL FROM TIRANA

[01] MINISTER MILUTINOVIC ARRIVES IN PARIS

The talks to be held Monday are expected to cover a broad range of issues important for the further promotion of bilateral relations, as well as for relations between the F.R. of Yugoslavia and the E.U.

Upon arrival, Milutinovic told Yugoslav reporters at Charles de Gaulle Airport that he will review with de Charette relations and the situation in general in the region.'

He pointed out that relations between Yugoslavia and France were quite developed, and mentioned that a certain standstill had been registered in the past months.

Minister Milutinovic underscored that the further development of bilateral relations was needed both by Yugoslavia and France, primarily because of 'our position and importance in the region and the situation as a whole, and also due to the economic, cultural and every other form of cooperation where France plays a significant part.'

Milutinovic said that the European Union, in which 'France is an important factor', 'is expected to make these days a number of decisions concerning Yugoslavia.'

He recalled that all decisions in the Union are made by consensus, and added that France, when decisions concerning Yugoslavia are made, 'can do a lot to help.'

Talking to reporters, the Yugoslav Foreign Minister said that the situation in Albania and in the entire region will be among the topics of talks with de Charette.

Minister Milutinovic underscored that his visit to Paris was scheduled a long time ago and its content and goal specified.

Asked about the news that appeared in some Yugoslav media that Minister Milutinovic will travel to Copenhagen, to attend the meeting between OSCE President Danish Foreign Minister Nils Helveg Peterson with Serbian opposition leaders, Milutinovic said he was surprised by such information.

Milutinovic said that Peterson had invited him to Copenhagen but that he had informed him both verbally and in writing that he could not accept it under the circumstances and in the manner it was done, as OSCE is an organization of states and governments and not of parties, and that they can meet with the opposition at panels and directly in Belgrade.

He said that no mediators were necessary for a meeting with the opposition, and that he believed that OSCE President Peterson had accepted his reasons. He added that Peterson had even suggested a new date for a bilateral meeting, at the end of March.

Copenhagen and March 17 were never considered, the Yugoslav Foreign Minister told reporters.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-16

[02] PARLIAMENT RATIFIES ACCORD ON RELATIONS BETWEEN RS, FRY

In favour of the Agreement voted 61 deputies, while 11 were against.

Hailing the ratification of the accord, F.R.Y. Parliament Lower House speaker Milomir Minic told the deputies that the Accord represented a true need of the Serbian people.

The Accord consolidates the unity of the Serbian people, forms the basis of future relations and creates conditions for the development of the people in R.S. and in F.R.Y., Minic said.

Minic said it was the strategic orientation of the F.R.Y. to build lasting relations with Serbs in R.S., but not at the expense of other peoples.

Wishing R.S. quick economic recovery and development, Minic assessed that the Agreement was a concrete contribution to the implementation of the Dayton Agreement.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-15

[03] ARMY TAKES ALL MEASURES TO PROTECT YUGOSLAV TERRITORY

It is estimated that, for the time being, the developments in Albania do not threaten Yugoslavia's security with a direct military action, but that various forms of negative effects are possible, the VJ representatives said.

Throughout the dramatic developments so far, it has been quiet on the border toward Yugoslavia, and not even a single of the otherwise usual border incidents has occurred, the VJ representatives set out.

They noted that accidental or intentionally provoked military incidents were, however, possible, similar as in the case of Macedonia.

The Albanian Army's border units have abandoned the largest part of the state border, border posts have been left unmanned, weapons looted, so that Albanian territory is practically unguarded, the VJ representatives said.

There have been flights across the border in the past several days, but not more than in the preceding, quiet period. However, it is possible that there will be a larger number of flights across the border and attempts at getting across the seized and looted weapons and military equipment, the VJ representatives said.

It is also possible that a part of ethnic-Albanian extremists in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija attempt, following the example of Albanians across the border, to seize weapons from the police and Army of Yugoslavia, they noted.

'There have been no such attempts in the past several days, and all measures have been taken to secure facilities and prevent such a possibility,' the VJ representatives told Tanjug.

They listed among the possible negative effects attempts at terrorist operations aimed at diverting attention from Albania to Kosovo and Metohija. Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, who are concerned at the developments in Albania, have been quite reserved in their behaviour so far, the VJ representatives said.

The first measure to prevent possible negative effects was taken by the Yugoslav Supreme Defense Council, which decided to close the country's border with Albania and place parts of Second and Third Army units on a higher alert.

'The Army of Yugoslavia has for quite some time been pursuing security intelligence with a view to preventing any surprise, and special on-duty operational teams at the Second and Third Army and Navy commands have been co-acting. In the border regions toward Albania and partly also toward Macedonia, security measures have been stepped up along the borders and inside the border regions,' the VJ representatives said.

In some border garrisons of the Pristina and Podgorica corps, units, from companies to battalions, are on instant alert. Some other Second and Third Army units, parts of the special units corps, air force, air defense and navy are also on the alert.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-14

[04] GERMANY THANKFUL TO FRY FOR HELPING EVACUATION FROM ALBANIA

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-16

[05] YUGOSLAVIA EVACUATES EMBASSY'S PERSONAL FROM TIRANA

The evacuation was carried out with the full coordination and cooperation of the Yugoslav organs, the General Staff and competent organs in Montenegro.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-17 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-14

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