Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-03-20

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIAN SERBS RATIFY SPECIAL TIES ACCORD WITH YUGOSLAVIA

[02] MILOSEVIC RECEIVED PANGALOS

[03] UN SECURITY COUNCIL CRITICIZES CROATIA FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DISRESPECT

[04] DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON PERMANENT SOLUTION TO REFUGEE ISSUE

[05] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA PRESIDENT MEETS IMF OFFICIAL

[06] YUGOSLAVIA AND GREECE SIGN A COOPERATION PROGRAM IN CULTURE AND EDUCATION

[07] YUGOSLAV AND GREEK FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET

[08] PANGALOS * STATEMENT

[09] CONDEMNATION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN KOSMET

[10] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS BOARDS SUPPORT FRY-RS AGREEMENT

[01] BOSNIAN SERBS RATIFY SPECIAL TIES ACCORD WITH YUGOSLAVIA

The Law was signed on the eve of Thursday's session of the Yugoslav Parliament which should also ratify the Accord, which will have created the necessary legal framework for implementing the Accord.

Speaker Dragan Kalinic signed also other laws passed by Parliament at its last session, including laws on the city of Banja Luka and on amendments to the Law on territorial organisation.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[02] MILOSEVIC RECEIVED PANGALOS

They noted that there existed mutual interest for continuous enhancement of mutual ties, particularly of business cooperation between the Yugoslav and Greek economic partners.

It was underscored that the FRY and Greece, by successful development of their bilateral relations and steadfast efforts towards peace and constructive resolution of outstanding questions in international relations provided the best example of the development of stable, good*neighbourly and prosperous relations on the bases of equality and mutual respect, both in the region and international community as a whole.

In that connection, two countries are genuinely interested in the alleviation of current tensions and normalization of the situation in Albania with whom both FRY and Greece wish to develop stable and good*neighbourly relations.

Also present at the talks was the host of the Greek Foreign Minister * Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, M. Milutinovic.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[03] UN SECURITY COUNCIL CRITICIZES CROATIA FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DISRESPECT

The statement said the Security Council was worried because Serbs in Croatia still lived in insecurity, especially in zones formerly protected by UN peacekeepers, said the statement.

It expressed concern about Croatia's procrastination in creating conditions for the return of Serb refugees and called on Zagreb to take steps to establish law and order in Serb-inhabited areas.

It urged the Croatian Government to speed up efforts to create conditions for personal and economic security, to remove bureaucratic obstacles in issuing documents to Serbs and to resolve the problem of property, so as to enable Serbs to return.

Croatia is urged to enforce fully the Amnesty Law and stop arbitrarily arresting Serbs on their return to Croatia.

The statement said Serbs in Croatia lived in somewhat better conditions these past few months, thanks to humanitarian aid.

Croatia is called upon to comply with International Human Rights Agreements and to cooperate closely with the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.

The statement concluded by advising the UN Secretary General to continue to brief the Council on the humanitarian situation and human rights in Croatia and to submit the next report by July 1.

The next report is to include, for the first time, information about the situation in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and West Srem, which had until now been reported separately.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[04] DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON PERMANENT SOLUTION TO REFUGEE ISSUE

Morina underscored that for the FRY the priority objective was the return of refugees and that it was the obligation of UNHCR to secure their return, but at the same time into Bosnia and Herzegovina and into Croatia.

She also insisted that international aid should remain at its current level, or higher, until a permanent solution to the problem of refugees was reached.

Morina resolved a dilemma which has been present for a long time, and said that a so-called local integration of refugees should take place, for them to stay permanently in the FRY. There has been much speculation about this, and the impression is that the UNHCR and other international factors want to rid themselves of that responsibility and obligation in the process of resolving refugee problems.

There is no dilemma, Morina said, except for different approaches and different priorities to the process of resolving the problem of refugees by Yugoslavia and the UNHCR.

She said that the UNHCR sees a priority solution in the local integration of a large number of refugees in Yugoslavia. That is contrary to Yugoslav priorities, said Morina and explained that Yugoslavia is suffering from difficulties as a result of years of sanctions. That is the main reason why we do not have the economic power to integrate a large number of refugees, and especially without a clearly defined financial aid from the world, said Morina.

Integration depends on the level of international financial aid, said Morina.

FRY has, on the basis of the conclusions of the Working Group for humanitarian issues of the Council for the Implementation of Peace, accepted a regional approach to finding out lasting solutions for refugees in the region of the former Yugoslavia and in that respect our primary interest is the return of refugees, said Morina.

Other participants in the Wednesday meeting were not satisfied with the solutions offered by the UNHCR draft plan. The problem is very grave and needs to be resolved urgently, because the permanent solution concerns approximately 2.5 million refugees from the territory of the former Yugoslavia, of which about 700,000 are in FRY.

The meeting attended by delegations of FR Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Muslim-Croat Federation, Republika Srpska and the Republic of Croatia and presided over by UN High Commissioner for refugees Special Envoy Carrol Faubert was more consultative in nature and served as a preparation for the Regional Ministerial Meeting scheduled to be held in Geneva on Friday.

The Friday meeting is expected to be attended, besides delegations from the territory of the former Yugoslavia, by international donors and representatives of West European countries which provided refuge for refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[05] REPUBLIKA SRPSKA PRESIDENT MEETS IMF OFFICIAL

Plavsic said Republika Srpska was ready to provide to Brown, the IMF and any other institutions playing a role in Bosnia's recovery and reconstruction any help they may request regarding financial issues. The Serb people expect progress and better living conditions this year and in the future, she said.

Measures should be taken to ensure that aid provided by donors arrives more directly and speedily to the end-users, with less intermediaries, Plavsic said.

Brown said the meeting with Plavsic was very useful for the drawing up of the economic policy of both Bosnian Entities. Among the principal issues discussed during the meeting were the Republika Srpska budget, preparations for the establishment of joint Bosnian institutions such as a Central Bank, and plans for the next conference of donors.

The forthcoming conference should pave the way for creating new institutions for economic policy planning and implementation, Brown said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[06] YUGOSLAVIA AND GREECE SIGN A COOPERATION PROGRAM IN CULTURE AND EDUCATION

On behalf of the Federal Government, the Programme was signed by the Director of the Directorate for International Cultural, Educational and Sports Cooperation of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, S. Stojanovic and on behalf of the Hellenic Republic by the Director of the Directorate for International Cultural Cooperation of the Greek Foreign Ministry, Ioannis Beveratos.

Ambassador Stojanovic expressed his satisfaction over the signing of the Programme which, according to him, represents a reflection of mutual interest for the promotion of traditionally good cooperation between two neighbouring countries till the end of the century, assessing the document as "outstanding".

Beveratos said that the Programme was of importance to the enhancement of mutual friendly ties.

The Programme envisages continuous and comprehensive cooperation between the FRY and Greece in the field of culture, education and sports including the cooperation between the Academies of science, universities, the exchange of scholarships and participation in summer language and literature courses as well as exchanges of university lecturers.

The cooperation in the field of protection of monuments of culture is also envisaged along with that between the national archives, libraries and exchanges of exhibitions and participation of orchestras and soloists at international music and theatre festivals held in both countries and cooperation in the field of literature, publishing and film.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[07] YUGOSLAV AND GREEK FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET

Milutinovic and Pangalos assessed positively the orientation and results in the resumption of multilateral cooperation and the economic linking between the countries of the region, with Yugoslavia and Greece having a significant contribution to this.

The two Ministers pointed out the need for eliminating all obstacles to economic cooperation between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the European Union as this is in the interest of the faster economic development and stability of the region.

Milutinovic and Pangalos exchanged views on the current developments in Albania which cause concern due to the possible negative effects on its neighbours. They underscored the joint interest that the crisis, which is Albania's internal affair, is overcome as soon as possible through political means and dialogue.

Milutinovic and Pangalos expressed satisfaction over the upward trend in the development of traditionally friendly relations and cooperation between their two countries and underscored the direction of their further promotion.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[08] PANGALOS * STATEMENT

He stated that in his talks with President Milosevic it was noted that the EU should as soon as possible make a decision on the special trade treatment of Yugoslavia. "We consider that the practice of resorting to various excuses, whose goal is to fuel anti*Yugoslav activities within the Union, must be stopped," Pangalos said and expressed his hope that "The internal situation in Yugoslavia will not provide new excuses for all those who are not in favour of Yugoslavia".

The Greek Foreign Minister said that one of the issues discussed with the President of Serbia was the situation in Albania and the problems created in its wake in the region.

We also talked about the need to work out a plan to ensure the funds needed for the transition from the centrally*planned to market*oriented economic system in the Balkans, said Pangalos, stressing that what is sought is economic coordination not money or unreturnable assistance. "Those who invest in transition to market economy will also make economic profit", concluded Pangalos.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[09] CONDEMNATION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN KOSMET

Gruber and Lutz expressed interest in the implementation of the agreement on education signed by Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and dr. Ibrahim Rugova.

Gruber and Lutz were informed that the 3+3 Working Group had so far met twice in Belgrade and that the next meeting would probably be held in Pristina.

Underscored was that the representatives of the Serbian Government are ready and open to talks and that, in keeping with this, a positive outcome of the education talks would pave the way for the resolution of the remaining topical issues in Kosovo and Metohija (Kosmet).

All sides condemned terrorist attacks and concluded that the only way for reaching a solution in the existing situation is a dialogue of the two sides. The terrorist attacks are slowing down and making more difficult a dialogue, it was said in a statement. Reiterated was the international community's stand that Kosovo and Metohija is an internal question of Serbia and Yugoslavia.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

[10] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS BOARDS SUPPORT FRY-RS AGREEMENT

Deputy Yugoslav Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulajic said that the Agreement confirms the resolution of FRY and RS to promote relations on the basis of friendship, trust, cooperation and the respect of mutual interests.

Bulajic said that this document is based on the Dayton-Paris agreement and the Bosnia-Herzegovina Constitution which guarantees the right to the Entities to establish special parallel relations with neighbouring states respecting the sovereignty of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Bulajic recalled that the Muslim-Croat Federation had in Dayton signed an agreement with Croatia on creating a Confederation and that this document 'has a wider framework than the FRY-RS agreement.'

Underscoring that the Agreement is of great importance for FRY and RS, he said that it paves the way for other agreements and contracts on all forms of cooperation.

'The Agreement confirms the orientation of the citizens of FRY and RS for development, peace and stability,' Bulajic said and added that under the Dayton agreement the Bosnia-Herzegovina Parliament should decide if it will ratify the FRY-RS agreement.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-03-20 ; Tanjug, 1997-03-19

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