Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-04-03

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] NEW ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE DAILY PUBLISHED IN SERBIAN TOWN PRISTINA

[02] MILENTIJEVIC: DRAFT LAW ON INFORMATION IN LINE WITH EUROPE'S LAWS

[03] NORWEGIAN COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES TO OPEN OFFICE IN BELGRADE

[04] BOZOVIC RECEIVES KOREAN CHARGE D'AFFAIRES

[05] KONTIC RECEIVES SLOVAK AMBASSADOR

[06] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH ISRAELI AMBASSADOR

[07] MOLDAVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

[08] MILUTINOVIC: WAY HAS BEEN PAVED FOR YUGOSLAV-MOLDAVIAN COOPERATION

[09] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES MOLDAVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

[01] NEW ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE DAILY PUBLISHED IN SERBIAN TOWN PRISTINA

About 20 papers, weeklies and monthlies are published in Albanian in Pristina, without any control or censorship.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[02] MILENTIJEVIC: DRAFT LAW ON INFORMATION IN LINE WITH EUROPE'S LAWS

Milentijevic said the second version that took into account proposals and objections made was already being drafted, saying the Serbian Parliament would take a final decision on the draft by the end of its spring session.

She said what was novel in the draft was that it contained the professional codex specifying the rights of journalists. It also provides for the setting up of a body, a committee or a council, that would monitor the implementation of the law, and for the identification of a source of income of media, she said.

'The registration of a foreign source of income does not automatically mean that someone should be accused of treason. we want to encourage foreign investments in all spheres, media included, but in the sphere of information this must be stressed,' she said.

The clause of the draft allowing a television or radio station to cover 25 percent of the territory, which has been criticised as monopolistic, is in fact anti-monopolistic because it enables fair competition, foreign investments, introduction of market economy, while at the same time it makes it impossible for one television or radio station to cover most of Serbia's territory, she said.

Milentijevic rejected an allegation that in this way the state television would be protected, saying the state television should in a way have monopoly as long as it was in the service of the state and its people. She said citizens took a vote on it in elections every four years.

Listing ways of how to avoid media monopoly, she referred to the French law allowing a television or radio station to cover only 21 percent of the country's territory. She said the E.U. had also adopted rules to protect itself from what she called the U.S. information invasion.

Commenting on the opposition's refusal to take part in debates on the draft law, Milentijevic said, 'the opposition has been invited to a dialogue. If it disregards it, it will be to its disadvantage,because it will miss the opportunity of putting its seal on the law.'

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[03] NORWEGIAN COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES TO OPEN OFFICE IN BELGRADE

Nesse informed Morina that the Council has for several years implemented social aid programs for refugees in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) via the UNHCR, but that now it plans to open its own office in Belgrade. The office will cover FRY and Croatia, i.e. the region of Slavonija and Baranja.

Nesse said that the Norwegian Government has secured almost one million dollars for this humanitarian organization and that these funds will be used for the realization of three projects.

The first is the program of social aid for refugees, which will be implemented via UNHCR. The second includes the opening of an office for providing legal aid to refugees who want to return to Croatia, while the third will aid the building of accomodation for refugees who decide to return to Slavonija and Baranja and to Bosnia and for the reconstruction of facilities and homes for elderly refugees in Yugoslavia.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[04] BOZOVIC RECEIVES KOREAN CHARGE D'AFFAIRES

Bozovic said the visit of the Yugoslav delegation would help improve general bilateral relations and expressed hope that Yugoslavia would soon take its rightfull place in international organizations and institutions. 'Further exclusion from key political, trade and financial associations of the international community is running against Yugoslavia, against its efforts to carry out economic reforms,' Bozovic said.

Bozovic said Yugoslavia would 'direct all its creative political and state efforts at finding the way toward integration in the International Montery Fund, the World Trade Organization, because that is the only way we can realize the reformist demands which we have defined as our future.'

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[05] KONTIC RECEIVES SLOVAK AMBASSADOR

Kontic said it was necessary to expand primarily economic cooperation between the two countries. He said it was necessary to liberalize trade cooperation through the gradual lowering of customs and other duties in order to create a free trade zone between the two friendly countries. Kontic expressed satisfaction that agreement had been reached between Yugoslavia and Slovakia on the mutual abolishment of tourist visas.

The talks also covered the development of cooperation between Slovak and Yugoslav iron mills and the participation of Slovak firms in the construction of a water supply line on the Adriatic coast of Yugolavia's Republic of Montenegro.

The two sides also stressed that it was necessary to step up the restoration and expansion of cooperation in all forms of traffic.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[06] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH ISRAELI AMBASSADOR

The general assessment is that Yugoslav-Israeli relations, without pending political issues, have all the conditions for comprehensive and successful development.

The Yugoslav Prime Minister expressed the readiness of the Yugoslav Government to develop and promote bilateral relations - in all issues and fields. The development of mutual cooperation is best reflected in the adjusting of state accords in the fields of culture, investment protection, double taxation relief, and the intention to draw up soon an accord on cooperation in the field of agriculture.

Kontic and Ambassador Sasson devoted special attention during the talks to the Middle East peace process.

Asserting that all the necessary conditions existed for the successful development of bilateral relaitons, it was jointly assessed that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia should assume as soon as possible its place in the most important international political and financial institutions and organizations.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[07] MOLDAVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS SERBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Popov saw no political obstacles to intensifying cooperation and said that intergovernmental accords on the avoidance of double taxation and protection of investments would encourage business cooperation. He listed as priorities the setting up of free trade zones and of a joint chamber of commerce that would provide reliable business information.

Stoiljkovic and Popov agreed on a need to encourage the setting up of joint firms in trade and production, as well as in finance by estabishing joint- stock banks.

Stoiljkovic said there were many Serbian companies that could offer their products and technology to Moldova, such as Galenika, Hemofarm-Vrsac, Torlak, Lola corporation, Majevica of Backa Palanka, and furniture and telecommunications equipment manufacturers.

Stoiljkovic informed Popov about the economic situation in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia and stressed that Moldovan companies could join in the construction of major projects in the power industry and the transport infrastructure in Serbia.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[08] MILUTINOVIC: WAY HAS BEEN PAVED FOR YUGOSLAV-MOLDAVIAN COOPERATION

Milutinovic told the press after the signing of the Protocol that Popov's visit is the first at this level from Moldavia. 'I am gald to say that our talks were comprehensive and that were ached concrete agreement in order to promote and expand our overall cooperation,' Milutinovic said. He underscored that special attention had been paid to the intensification of a political dialogue at all levels, including top state, government and parliamentary ones.

Milutinovic said that the joint conclusion was that good political relations, the proximity of the two countries, the compatibility of their markets and the links via the Danube river represent excellent conditions for the development of economic and other forms of cooperation. He added that agreement had been reached that customs and administrative procedures be simplified to enable the free flow of goods, people and capital.

Milutinovic pointed out that the coordination of a dozen of important bilateral agreements is underway and that they would shortly be prepared for signing. He said that in question are mainly agreements from the economic and financial spheres, including the agreement on the setting up of an intergovernment commission for trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation.

The agreements, which are under deliberation of experts, will regulate cooperation in the sphere of transport, science, technology, culture, education, consular and sports cooperation, Milutinovic said.

'The talks underscored mutual interest for realizing projects of joint firms, the promotion of inter-banking cooperation, joint ventures on third markets, and a number of other concrete fields, ranging from agriculture to the manufacture of medications and civil engineering,' Milutinovic said.

'We also discussed international and regional issues, especially cooperation in the Balkans, the Danube and Black Sea regions, and concluded that we have similar or identical positions, especially on the ways of strengthening peace, stability and cooperation in Europe,' Milutinovic said.

'Today's talks have paved the way for very comprehensive cooperation between Moldavia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,' he said.

Popov said that discussed had been the current situation in the world as well as bilateral cooperation between the two countries, both in the political and economic and cultural spheres. 'We determined that there exist great potentials for the development of relations in the political sphere. There are some ten documents which the two Goverments should sign which will most certainly influence successful cooperation between Yugoslavia and Moldavia,' Popov said.

He stated that there are no controversial issues between the two countries and that this provides opportunities for the faster development of their relations.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

[09] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES MOLDAVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the meeting and agreed that the resumption of a political dialogue confirmed traditional friendly relations between the two countries, a Yugoslav Government statement said.

This two-day official visit of a Moldavian official and an announced visit of the Yugoslav President to Moldavia confirm in the best way that both sides are ready to promote overall relations, to which there are no obstacles.

There are great possibilities, interest and mutual understanding for the promotion of cooperation in all spheres.

Both sides expressed dissatisfaction with the development of economic relations in the past although both economies had great potentials and were complementary. They agreed that the reason for an inadequate trade balance was bad organization.

It was agreed that the two sides should promote economic cooperation and coordinate interstate agreements, both in the sphere of science, technology and culture, and in the protection of investments, joint appearance on third markets, in agroindustry, transport, the electric and pharmaceutical industries.

Kontic praised Moldavia's principled and constructive stand in view of the settling of the Yugoslav crisis, and pointed out the importance for yugoslavia soon to be reintegrated in the international community, since this was the only for Yugoslavia to be a true factor of peace in the region.

Popov extended full support to Yugoslavia's claim for its reintegration in all relevant international political and financial institutions and organizations.

Kontic said that Yugoslavia and Moldavia should discuss the setting up of a free trade zone and invited his Moldavian counterpart Jon Chubuk to visit Yugoslavia, said the statement.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-03 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-02

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