Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-04-24

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] MONTENEGRIN SHIPS IMPOUNDED IN U.S. TO BE FREED ON MAY 19

[02] NEO-FASCISM IS RIDING HIGH AGAIN

[03] UNHCR URGES DONORS TO CONTINUE AIDING REFUGEES IN YUGOSLAVIA

[04] OGATA TALKS ABOUT REFUGEES

[05] IVANISEVIC: CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENT

[06] PRIME MINISTER KONTIC RECEIVED REPRESENTATIVES OF CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

[07] BULAJIC MEETS WITH ETHIOPIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AND DEPUTIES

[08] YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA DISCUSS FUTURE COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE

[09] YUGOSLAV TRANSPORT MINISTER RECEIVED CZECH DEPUTY TRANSPORT MINISTER

[01] MONTENEGRIN SHIPS IMPOUNDED IN U.S. TO BE FREED ON MAY 19

The statement said that the decision by the Treasury Department in charge of foreign property on U.S. soil was the first correction in the register of the 'outer wall' of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

[02] NEO-FASCISM IS RIDING HIGH AGAIN

Those were the delegations of the veterans of the People's Liberation War from Bosnia, Croatia and even Slovenia. Also present were the members of the Jewish community but not the delegation of the Serbs, who throughout their history were killed in Jasenovac more than ever and anywhere. That the Serbs were not present confirmed what has been known for a long time: the relations between Croatia and Yugoslavia entered a phase of great challenges and additional will be required to make amends and start anew.

But the return to Jasenovac and its sad anniversary has another quite different context * the statements by Hrvoje Sarinic, chief of cabinet of the Croatian President and Zlatko Matesa, Croatian Prime Minister given to the Croatian TV at the time of the visit to Jasenovac. Without a moment's hesitation Sarinic ranked Jasenovac under the same moral criterion as Bleiburg and Manjaca, where the Croats were the victims, whereas Mate{a added that the suffering in Jasenovac equalled the sufferings of the Croats in Bleiburg and Ovcara near Vukovar.

"Vjesnik" went even a step further: commenting on the weekend of the Croatian regime in Jasenovac, the paper again presented a thesis that fascists and communists equally committed horrendous crimes. The paper then makes a mention of Vukovar and Srebrenica but without a single trace of self*criticism * whose was the army that defended Vukovar at the time when a single SFRY existed? Again, Sarinic and Matesa by their statements break all moral considerations. If not Matesa, Sarinic, as a long*term "Frenchman" should have known better: after the Second World War more than 110 thousand collaborationists in France were executed. They shed tears over the worst fascists killed in Bleiburg, which is an open call to reaffirm fascism in Croatia. In addition, in one of the Houses of the Croatian Parliament, a deputy is a former minister in the Government of Ante Pavelic * Vinko Nikolic. Court proceedings against "innocently accused" Andrija Artukovic are planned to be renewed.

With such moves the Zagreb regime has been, along with decorating bloodthirsty monsters and criminals, soliciting votes of in the Ustashi families. But it does not mean that neo*fascism cannot transcend a critical point. Some units of the Croatian army are gathering under the black flag. One battalion of the Fourth Guard Brigade (Split) carries the name of the Ustashi cut*throat from the Second World War, Rafael Boban, "The Knight".

If Croatia sought to portray itself in Jasenovac with a new political approach and thus reaffirm itself in the front of the international public, it met with total failure. The statements of Sarinic and Matesa have bred new distrusts.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-04-24

[03] UNHCR URGES DONORS TO CONTINUE AIDING REFUGEES IN YUGOSLAVIA

The appeal by UNHCR Sadako Ogata is a key element in the conclusions adopted by the Peace Implementation Council Task Force on Humanitarian Issues. Ogata said the meeting had clearly shown that Yugoslavia vitally needed international aid if it was to take care of the huge number of refugees on its territory, and pledged to do everything for this aid to continue to come in, especially for the worst-off refugee groups.

The body fully upheld a plan for the repatriation of refugees and displaced persons to former Yugoslavia, which means that the plan was supported also by representatives of Bosnia-Herzegovina and of the countries that have accepted refugees from former Yugoslavia.

The conclusions from the meeting indicate that the repatriation of refugees to parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina, where they will be a minority population, will be crucial to the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accord.

In order for the repatriation to be carried out, it was stressed, it had to be directly linked to creating the necessary condition for a massive repatriation, which specifically meant rebuilding the country, creating new jobs and rebuilding the infrastructure.

Bosnia-Herzegovina needs about 300 million dollars to deal with its housing problem, it was noted.

The body adopted a position on some Western countries' intention to begin repatriating refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina before the necessary conditions are created. The UNHCR strongly opposed any premature repatriation of refugees or their return against their will.

The body welcomed the Croatian delegation's announced intention to honour an Accord on a parallel return of Serb refugees and displaced persons to the West Slavonia and Serb Krajina regions, and of Croat refugees to the Serb region of East Slavonia.

Many participants in the Wednesday meeting said that the meeting had been constructive and significant and that it was high time to go from words to deeds in the matter of repatriation. The opinion therefore prevails that the thing to do now is not to plan any more, but to actually start the process of massive return of refugees to their homes in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the regions of Serb Krajina, East and West Slavonia.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

[04] OGATA TALKS ABOUT REFUGEES

Ogata informed participants in the meeting of the Working Group for Humanitarian Issues of the Council for the Implementation of Peace, held in Geneva, that during last year, 30,000 refugees returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina and 410,000 obtained permanent residence permits in European countries.

According to the assessments of a number of European countries, Ogata said, about 200,000 refugees are expected to return to Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of this year.

Talking about the possibilities of return of Serb expellees, Ogata limited herself to Eastern Slavonia. According to her, the only solution is to establish a link between the return of expelled Serbs, who are currently in Eastern Slavonia, to Western Slavonia and Krajina, and the return of displaced Croats to Eastern Slavonia. Ogata said the successful resolution of the issue would considerably improve chances for the repatriation of Serb refugees from FR Yugoslavia to Krajina.

Muslim-Croat Federation representative Rasim Kadic said that the Federation was ready to receive over a short period of time more than 11,000 Serb refugees, and claimed housing and jobs had already been secured for them. Besides that, he offered 5,100 flats in the Federation for Serb refugees who are in Brcko and who should, according to him, leave that town in Republika Srpska (RS) to make space for Muslims.

These offers were assessed by participants in the meeting as a provocation, as it is common knowledge that Muslim-Croat Federation authorities are preventing even individual cases of return of Serb refugees. This was clearly said also by the international community's High Representative Carl Bildt, who told participants in the meeting that the implementation of the Dayton Agreement was the key problem in the Federation. Bildt assessed that the process of consolidation of circumstances in Bosnia and Herzegovina was making progress but that with each step made they are aware that many new steps and moves still need to be made.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

[05] IVANISEVIC: CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENT

'The Agreement on the normalization of relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and the Republic of Croatia also represents a way for the realization of lasting solutions regarding the return of refugees to Croatia,' Ivanisevic told a meeting of the Working Group for Humanitarian Issues of the Council for the Implementation of Peace.

Ivanisevic recalled that, according to the 1996 census which was verified by the U.N. High Commissariat for Refugees (UNHCR), FRY is at this moment providing for nearly 700,000 refugees from the territory of the former Yugoslavia. He pointed out that Yugoslavia has so far earmarked 5% of its gross national product each year, all this in a period during which it was subjected to the unjust economic sanctions whose effects are felt even today.

Speaking about the basis of the National Program for permanent solutions for the refugee problem, Ivanisevic said that the basis for this program were international documents and practice from similar cases, as well as Annex 7 of the Dayton Agreement and Article 7 of the Agreement on the normalization of relations between FRY and Croatia, which affirm the right of the refugees to return home. He added that the program also calls for integration into local environments and departure to third countries.

'FRY's priority is the repatriation of refugees in keeping with the principles contained in relevant international documents which start from the need to create conditions for their safe return, to lead a safe and dignified life, right to their own property, guarantees that they will be accepted in the environments where they are returning, and the respect of their wish to return to where they previously lived, i.e. where they chose to do so,' Ivanisevic said.

He underscored that unfortunately, it is necessary to conclude that the adopted solutions from the Peace Agreement and the Agreement on the normalization of relations between FRY and Croatia, are not being realized in keeping with their provisions, and primarily the needs and wishes of the refugees. International factors and UNHCR have concluded a number of times that still present are legal and administrative limitations which largely prevent the realization of the above-mentioned agreements.'

Ivanisevic came out with a number of facts in support of this:

- Regarding repatriation into Croatia, until late January 1997, 411 Serb families returned in keeping with the principle of the unification of families, and of 12,000 Serbs permitted by the Croatian authorities to return, UNHCR estimated that only 3,000 have done so. The latest data, however, indicate that more and more Serb refugees want to return to Croatia in an organized and collective manner on the principle of village for village, city for city, to regions where they previously formed the majority population.

- Repatriation to Bosnia-Herzegovina is based on Annex 7 of the Dayton Agreement which requires the fulfilment of certain pre-conditions. This primarily refers to the reconstruction of Bosnia-Herzegovina, in which FRY believes that it is necessary to secure the balanced distribution of the means provided by the international community for the revival of both Entities. Apart from this, it is necessary to secure the freedom of movement and other conditions for the free and safe return of refugees.

- The document on repatriation is in its final stage. It is expected to be signed in early May by FRY and Republika Srpska and it will, based on the principle of voluntariness, call for the return of some 60,000 refugees. Regarding the Muslim-Croat Federation, so far only about 30,000 refugees from this region have expressed a wish to return in groups and in an organized fashion, mainly to areas where they were an ethnic majority.

Ivanisevic underscored that 'although FRY views repatriation as the basic form of a lasting solution for the refugees, it takes into account the fact that a certain number of them will remain here forever. In view of the serious economic situation in Yugoslavia, integration of the refugees is impossible and unrealistic without adequate financial aid by the international community,' Ivanisevic said.

He stated that 'it is necessary to overcome the insufferable situation of the unprovoked, unjust and contrary to international law imposed isolation of FRY by certain foreign factors and, following the lifting of the sanctions, by the U.N. Security Council. This greatly harms the development of Yugoslavia and its capability to provide economic and social security to its population and the hundreds of thousands of refugees, and to continue the already started reforms.'

Ivanisevic pointed out the need for the faster 'normalization of relations and cooperation between FRY and the international community, primarily the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and other international financial organizations and institutions for obtaining international aid and support for the realization of Yugoslav development programs.

Ivanisevic called for the continuation and increasing of international humanitarian aid for refugees in FRY until more significant advancement is achieved in the implementation of lasting solutions.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

[06] PRIME MINISTER KONTIC RECEIVED REPRESENTATIVES OF CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

Greeting his guests, Kontic said that such meetings have become not only traditional but traditionally good and that the meetings are an opportunity for real dialogue between the State and Church about issues significant for the fate of our country and of its citizens.

Attending the meeting were Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Pavle, Archpriests of the Serbian Orthodox Church, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church headed by Archbishop of Belgrade Franc Perko, the Belgrade Mufti Hamdija Jusufspahic, President of the Seniority of the Islamic religious community in Montenegro Idris Demirovic, Chief Rabbi of Yugoslavia Cadik Danon and representatives of other confessions in our country.'

'The Federal Government has found in you constructive collocutors when it comes to discussing issues which are significant for relations between the State and Church and I wish to express my gratitude for your contribution to the constitution of a multi-national and multi-confessional community as the FRY,' the Yugoslav Prime Minister said. He expressed his appreciation to representatives of all confessions also for their humanitarian work, pointing out that thanks to their actions many mouths were fed, many ill healed and shelter found for many expellees who found refuge in the FRY and said he believed that they would continue to make such contributions in the future.

The Yugoslav Prime Minister informed the representatives of religious communities about the strategic goals of the Yugoslav Government's economic program for this year and the next four years, including the constitution of the FRY as a modern, social state, ruled by law, the reintegration of our country into the international community, the building of an open market economy, raising the standard of living and enhancing social welfare.

Talking about the first goal, Kontic stressed the constitutional principle that the FRY is a community of equal republics and citizens, and noted that in the 'political arena have also appeared certain retrograde and outdated ideologies, but the union between Serbia and Montenegro can not be endangered by such ideologies.'

The Prime Minister assessed that the international position of the FRY was being continuously strengthened, as our country has won affirmation as a factor of peace and stability in the region and said he believed that we can be optimistic about its further reintegration into world economic, financial and trade processes and all international institutions.

The Yugoslav Prime Minister cautioned that although the blockade of our country was lifted formally the 'outer wall of sanctions' is still in place 'particularly enforced by the United States and to a lesser degree by European Union members.'

'At the same time, political conditions are imposed on us, some constituting direct interference in our internal problems, but despite everything the FRY and the Federal Government will do its utmost for the country to join the international community,' Kontic said.

The Federal Prime Minister referred also to the process of normalization of relations with former Yugoslav republics, noting that in that respect the greatest progress had been made in relations with Macedonia. With Croatia, political relations have been normalized and economic and traffic links are being established, and the issue of the Prevlaka Promontory is expected to be solved. While diplomatic relations with Slovenia, despite mutual recognition, have not been established, because Ljubljana 'is still advocating anti-Yugoslav positions in international fora,' Kontic said.

Kontic pointed especially to the importance of the Agreement between the FRY and Republika Srpska (RS) on special parallel relations, stressing that it was signed 'in view of peace and stability in the region, and that it is not aimed against anyone. On the contrary, we want to establish the same relations with the other Entity in the Muslim-Croat Federation, but an obstacle to that is the suit filed against the FRY by Bosnia and Herzegovina before the International Court in The Hague.'

'For the normalization of relations with former Yugoslav republics it is important to solve the problem of refugees, which currently number in the FRY around 700,000, he said, and noted that the problem should be solved in conformity with international conventions, i.e. that refugees declare themselves freely where they want to live, while the Federal Government will draw up a state plan for regulating the issue of refugees and displaced persons.

Representatives of all religious communities supported the program of the Federal Government, and expressed their readiness to give their contribution to the progress of the country and of its citizens.

Patriarch Pavle thanked Prime Minister Kontic for the cordial reception. Expressing support to the goals and orientations of the Federal Government, Patriarch Pavle said that representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as FRY citizens, have the same rights and obligations as other community members regardless of their nation or religion. 'People who believe in god are never against what is good for all people and we consider that the State and other structures, political and civilian, endeavour for the common good,' Patriarch Pavle said.

Belgrade Archbishop Franc Perko said that general progress of the State and better life for the population were the goals they should strive for. Pointing out that the establishment of the rule of law, which is the basic objective of the newly-formed Government, is of great significance for the Roman Catholic and other religious communities. He added that they all held progress in their hearts, but that the Yugoslav economy had to overcome great obstacles.

Belgrade Mufti Hamdija Jusufspahic said that the traditional meeting organized every year by the Federal Government was a 'great joint holiday' and that assembling in one place 'people who pray to God should represent support to the forces of integration and unity' and a 'warning to those who have a tendency towards disunity and hatred.' Pointing out that for Yugoslavia the principle always in force was that of freedom, unity, mutual respect, he said that all representatives of religious communities had fought to preserve the name of Yugoslavia and that they had succeeded in that.

Joining in these statements were representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church, of the Adventist Church and of the Methodist Church, as well as representatives of other religious communities in the FRY.

Thanking for the blessings and prayers for the prosperity of our country, Yugoslav Prime Minister Kontic said in conclusion that cooperation with religious communities will be an impetus for overcoming current difficulties.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

[07] BULAJIC MEETS WITH ETHIOPIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AND DEPUTIES

Yohannes said Yugoslavia had always been an inspiration to African states and was a major partner in their development.

The two countries' officials exchanged views on the future economic cooperation and the strengthening of peace and democratic processes in the world. They stressed the two countries' commitment to the promotion of parliamentary cooperation. They also discussed an Ethiopian Parliamentary delegation's visit to Yugoslavia this Autumn that is aimed also at promoting economic cooperation.

Bulajic met also with Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Salim Ahmad Salim. Bulajic and Salim welcomed Yugoslavia's return to the international scene following a successful completion of the Peace Process in the Balkans in which they said the country had played a major role.

The delegation's three-day visit ended in a news conference at which reporters were briefed about the delegation's talks with a large number of Ethiopian officials and business partners.

It was stated that the setting up of joint-stock companies as well as long- term cooperation in the realisation of major development projects and the bringing into accord of an Agreement on spurring and protecting investment would serve as a basis for a new stage in the two countries' traditionally friendly relations.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

[08] YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA DISCUSS FUTURE COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE

The prospects for such cooperation are unlimited and in both countries' interest, as both wish to export their products to the European and world markets and to join international economic and financial institutions, they said.

The two countries have the potentials to realize this goal and are ready to carry out reforms and improve the quality and range of their products, especially in the agricultural sector. Cooperation in agriculture can be carried out through creating joint and mixed companies.

Crvenkovski accepted an invitation from Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic, who had visited Macedonia last year, to visit Yugoslavia soon.

Sipovac and his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Parakeov signed on Wednesday two agreements and one protocol on bilateral cooperation in agriculture. The agreements concern veterinary care and quarantine regulations, and crop protection. The protocol provides for technical cooperation in agriculture.

Sipovac said at a press conference that the documents were a logical follow- up of friendly relations between the two countries which used to be part of the former Yugoslav Federation for several decades.

Yugoslavia has a surplus of wheat, corn, cooking oil, sugar and some kinds of meat that it can export to Macedonia, and wishes to import rice, early vegetables and wine from Macedonia, Sipovac said.

Macedonia is an important foreign trade partner for Yugoslavia. About 90% of bilateral trade is carried out under a liberal regime, and is expected to be fully liberalized soon, Sipovac said.

Parakeov said that Yugoslavia and Macedonia had great potentials for all- round cooperation in agriculture and as regards joint ventures at third markets.

Macedonia is also interested in Yugoslavia's experience in the privatization of socially-owned companies as it is also facing this complicated task, Parakeov said.

On Thursday, second and final day of his visit, Sipovac will visit Ohrid and Bitolj to discuss the privatization experience of Macedonia's agricultural sector.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

[09] YUGOSLAV TRANSPORT MINISTER RECEIVED CZECH DEPUTY TRANSPORT MINISTER

Drobnjakovic and Foltina, who heads a delegation of the Czech Ministry of Transport, described as useful the delegation's one-day visit to Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav Information Secretariat said in a statement.

Yugoslav and Czech experts in the domain reached agreement on a number of issues and solutions in the sphere of air, road and railway transport, the statement said.

The statement said the visit had resulted in the signing of an Amendment to the 1956 Transport Agreement reached between the former Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. The Amendment was signed by Yugoslav Deputy Minister of Transport Budimir Saranovic and by Foltina.

Drobnjakovic and Foltina agreed that the two countries exchange information about projects for the construction of transport infrastructure whose realisation required finding an adequate model of financing, the statement said.

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 1997-04-24 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-23

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