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Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-08-20Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Yugoslav Daily SurveyCONTENTS
[01] MILUTINOVIC TO VISIT CHINATanjug, 1997-08-19The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Milan Milutinovic will pay an official visit to the People's Republic of China from 25 to 30 August 1997, at the invitation of the Vice*Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichan. [02] US ENVOY MEETS BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBERSTanjug, 1997-08-18Special US envoy to the Balkan region Robert Gelbard and Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Chairman Alija Izetbegovic and Presidency member Kresimir Zubak discussed on Monday in Sarajevo the problems hindering the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The talk focused especially on the issues of joint currency and the creation of a Central Bank, the Law on citizenship and travel documents, and the Bosnia-Herzegovina Coat of Arms and flag. Gelbard said he was dissatisfied with the slow process of resolving these issues. The US envoy then left for Pale, where he met the third Presidency member Momcilo Krajisnik. [03] OSCE RESPONDS POSITIVELY TO YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER'S INVITATIONTanjug, 1997-08-18Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen has responded positively to Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic's invitation to send OSCE observers to Serbia's upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for September 21, the OSCE said in a statement released late on Monday. The statement said that Petersen had voiced satisfaction with the developments and hoped that this would step up the process started by the December 1996 Gonzalez report. Petersen said he expected the Yugoslav Government to give all the expected support to the observer mission, the statement said. [04] BELGRADE COMPANY WINS 6.5-MILLION-DOLLAR DEALTanjug, 1997-08-18At an international bidding for the reconstruction of a road section in Bolivia, the Yugoslav company Energoprojekt won the 6.5-million-dollar deal in the competition of seven construction companies from several countries. Energoprojekt plans to finish the reconstruction of a 47-km section of the Cochabamba-La Paz trunk road within nine months after the advance payment, which will be effected soon. The World Bank for Reconstruction and Development finances the reconstruction. [05] SERBIAN PARLIAMENT NOMINATES CANDIDATES FOR MONITORING COMMITTEETanjug, 1997-08-18Candidates for the Monitoring Committee to supervise the September presidential and parliamentary elections in Serbia were nominated on Monday at a meeting between Serbian Parliament Speaker Dragan Tomic and the heads and representatives of the Assembly deputy groups, a Serbian government statement said. The Monitoring Committee will carry out general supervision over activities by political parties, candidates, and public media regarding election activities. The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) nominated Milorad Radevic, a sociologist and Director of the Serbian Archives. The Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) nominated Ilija Davidovic, a lawyer, Head of the Department for general and legal affairs of the Official Gazette of Yugoslavia. The Serbian Radical Party (SRS) nominated Vesna Zobenica, an economist, a Zemun Municipal Assembly employee. The New Democracy (ND) nominated Milenko Ostojic, a politicologist, Director General of "Vocarkoop" of Belgrade. The Democratic Community of Vojvodina Hungarians (DZVM) nominated Janos Ceke, a chemist, Technical Director of the Industry of grinding tools of Ada. The nominations of these candidates, and the ones proposed by the Serbian Government, will be discussed at a Parliament session on Tuesday. The constituting of the committee contributes to the further democratization in the procedure of preparing and conducting the upcoming elections in Serbia. It sets up a strong political and legal mechanism for monitoring the due implementation of legal and sublegal acts, agreements between all political subjects who will test their political authority by participating in the upcoming regular elections, the statement said. [06] YUGOSLAVS HAVE NO PROBLEMS TRAVELLING ON NEW PASSPORTSTanjug, 1997-08-15Yugoslav citizens who own new passports have had no problems in being granted visas, which means that there are no negative reactions to our new travel documents, head of the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry Directorate for Consular Affairs Milorad Ivanovic told a press conference at the Yugoslav Government. He said that one month ahead of introducing new travel documents, the F.R. of Yugoslavia had informed other states about this move in the usual way and that there had been no negative reactions. Commenting on whether the Yugoslav diplomacy can do something to facilitate the granting of Croatian visas to Yugoslav citizens, Ivanovic said that the "granting of visas is a sovereign act of each state, determined by internal regulations." At the Croatian Embassy this procedure is "complex, it takes much time and creates an atmosphere of nervousness and impatience, but we have no knowledge of actions that would be an insult to dignity," Ivanovic said and added that Yugoslavia and Croatia should open talks, in the near future, about abolishing visas for all types of passports. [07] UNTAES DENIES ALLEGED LIST OF 178 WAR CRIMES SUSPECTSTanjug, 1997-08-15Chief Prosecutor of The Hague-based International War Crimes Tribunal Louise Arbour released in The Hague on Friday an official statement denying that her office had sent a letter to the Vukovar-based UN Transitional Administration of Eastern Slavonija (UNTAES) containing a list of 178 persons indicted, the Vukovar-based UNTAES Press Office said in a statement. Arbour said the letter had not come from her Office or from anyone else in the Tribunal. The letter is a complete forgery and should be ignored, Arbour said, adding that Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein informed her on Thursday about the letter, which circulated in the UNTAES region. According to the same report, Arbour had allegedly sent the letter to a UN Civilian Police Commissioner, seeking information on 178 persons allegedly indicted by the War Crimes Tribunal. The UNTAES statement said the prosecutor intended to launch an immediate investigation to establish who was behind this letter and to take adequate steps against the forgerers. UNTAES also urged all those who have received or are about to receive a copy of the letter to hand it in enveloped to the UN Headquarters in Vukovar. Beside the copies of the letter, sent by mail to 178 alleged suspects, some citizens of the region have lately received notes urging them to leave the region "as soon as possible", said the statement. The statement categorically denied reports that these notes had allegedly come from the UNTAES Civilian Affairs Office. UNTAES strongly condemns these provocative attempts to saw anxiety and insecurity among the people of the area, said the statement, adding that such attempts aimed to directly undermine the UNTAES mandate. The statement said that all these alleged "documents" were malevolent forgeries and called on the residents of the region not to fall for such provocations. [08] BOSNIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FAILS TO PASS CITIZENSHIP LAWTanjug, 1997-08-16The Bosnia-Herzegovina Council of Ministers failed once again on Saturday to pass the laws on citizenship and travel documents which it has been debating for several months. The reason for failing to reach agreement on the draft proposed as a compromise by the Office of the High Representative of the international community Carlos Westendorp was not disclosed. Westendorp had set August 4. as the deadline for passing the law, under the threat of sanctions. According to earlier statements by the Council of Ministers Co-Chairmen Boro Bosic and Haris Silajdzic, the three sides had been unable to reach agreement on the status of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Muslim- Croat Federation citizenships, refugee citizenship, dual citizenship and revision of citizenship certificates issued so far. As for the Law on travel documents, the Council failed to reach agreement only on the design of the passport front cover page. The Saturday session of the Council in Sarajevo was attended by the Deputy High Representative of the international community Gerd Wagner. [09] MONTENEGRIN GOVERNMENT PRESENTS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN CANADATanjug, 1997-08-15Within its several-day visit to the United States and Canada, a Montenegrin Government delegation held working meetings at the Canadian External Affairs Department, Department of the Environment and agency for investments abroad, a Montenegrin Government statement said on Friday. The Montenegrin delegation said they expected Canada to support Yugoslavia's reintegration into the international community and presented some of the Government's development projects to be realised with the support of foreign capital. All institutions showed readiness for cooperation, especially through the engagement of the two countries' specialised institutions and confirmed the readiness, in principle, for a visit to Yugoslavia and Montenegro of Canadian representatives. [10] R.S. CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RULES PLAVSIC'S DECISION UNCONSTITUTIONALTanjug, 1997-08-16The Constitutional Court of the (Bosnian Serb) Republika Srpska has ruled unconstitutional President Biljana Plavsic's decision to dissolve the Parliament and call for early parliamentary elections. The Court decided late on Friday that Plavsic's decision was contrary to the R.S. Constitution both in the formal as well as the material sense. Plavsic denied comment on the Court's ruling in a R.S. television prime time news programme, saying she had not been officially informed about it. [11] DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SOCIALISTS ENDS ITS CONGRESSTanjug, 1997-08-16The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) ended its Third Congress on Saturday evening in Podgorica by electing its new Main Committee. The new Main Committee comprises 121 members and its new Vice-Presidents are Srdja Bozovic, Zoran Zizic and Predrag Bulatovic. Closing the Congress of the ruling Montenegrin party, DPS President Momir Bulatovic said the Congress had successfully completed its task by consolidating the DPS policy and taking decisions clearly confirming the party political and program continuity. We embody the original, political, state, ethical, moral and human principles contained in the DPS program which is known and accepted by our widest public, Bulatovic said. The principal option of the program is the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the constitutional position of out joint state and member-republics needs no review but must be implemented and developed, Bulatovic underlined. The Yugoslav idea had always been the line of division between progressive, freedom- and justice-loving ideas, programs, movements and individuals in Montenegro from those others who have made no contribution to our history and whom history will not remember, Bulatovic said. The Congress has confirmed that Montenegro does not lose its greatness, statehood or future by being a part of Yugoslavia. On the contrary, like a jewel, Montenegro continues to shine while being incorporated sincerely into the Yugoslav community, brotherly concord and understanding with the Republic of Serbia, Bulatovic said. Administering a state is a serious and difficult job whose severest judges are the people and history. For the people and for history and on the basis of our policy, we must exert utmost efforts to promote and develop our joint state, Bulatovic said. [12] BULATOVIC RECEIVES EU REPRESENTATIVESTanjug, 1997-08-15Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic received in Podgorica on Friday Head of European Union Observer Mission Dan Everts with his associates, the Presidential Office said in a statement. Bulatovic and the EU officials exchanged views of the political situation in the former Yugoslavia and the Balkan region in the context of international community's stepped-up activities towards a continuation and upgrading of processes that are aimed at their permanent stabilization. The meeting especially focused on the current phase in the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords for Bosnia-Herzegovina and on the political situation in Albania, which borders Montenegro and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. As for the political situation in Montenegro, Bulatovic said the developments in the past few months have resulted in grave political conflicts and the crisis in the functioning of state bodies, which made a holding of early parliamentary elections inevitable. The political situation in Montenegro and the functioning of state bodies are totally out of line with a political programme, which has won the support of the electorate, annulling in fact the November 1996 election results, the statement said. Bulatovic said the political crisis in Montenegro could be only settled in a successful and long-term manner through democratic means and a full observance of constitutional and legal principles, namely, by a free voting of Montenegrin citizens in the coming presidential and early parliamentary elections. He said it was significant and positive that EU and OSCE observers were witnessing election activities in Montenegro. [13] ZORAN LILIC - INTERVIEW TO USA TODAYTanjug, 1997-08-17The supreme goal and the principal activity of the future President of Serbia and its future Government will be to strengthen the stability of the Republic of Serbia and improve the standard of living of its citizens, while preserving the social dimension which is so important for us, Vice- President of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and its candidate for the office of President of the Republic of Serbia Zoran Lilic said in an interview to USA Today. Lilic told USA Today journalist Michael Jordan that he believed that one man alone can do nothing great, not only in this country but in any country. Lilic underlined that his candidacy for the office of Serbia's President represented above all the wish of his party and its 600,000 members, and reflected the need for pursuing the policy that was followed for all these years. That policy has brought about considerable stability in Bosnia- Herzegovina and protected the F.R. of Yugoslavia from the war in its neighbourhood, and should in the future ensure peace in Serbia and Yugoslavia to enable them to firmly guarantee the stability of the Balkans and consequently Europe, Lilic said. We wish, Lilic said, to pursue the policy which has kept destruction away from Serbia, its considerable potentials and resources, and its greatest advantage - the know-how of its people. Much has to be done here and much has been undertaken, especially in the past few months: economic recovery, intensive production growth, work on infrastructure projects, considerable progress in international economic cooperation, Lilic said. Priority should be given to a persistent and efficient fight against the heritage of the past four years under sanctions and with war in the neighbourhood - the considerably grown crime rate and, to some extent, drug abuse, Lilic said. Answering a question on privatization, Lilic said that over one half of companies in Serbia were either private or mixed, in line with laws passed much earlier than in the majority of countries in eastern Europe. The new law which has been in force for a relatively short time now provides full freedom for the privatization of all companies, both state- owned and mixed, or those that used to be described as "social property", Lilic said. We are not against privatization. Privatization brings additional resources, provides prospects for a considerable development of technological resources and for fuller and richer cooperation with the world. Such cooperation involves speaking in the language of the market. What can be more logical than that we should communicate with the world in the language that it understands the best. Such logic prevails in the United States, western Europe and all developed countries, Lilic underlined. Unfortunately, the four years of sanctions had largely hampered Serbia's ambition to develop its economy in that manner, but now this obstacle is behind us, despite some attempts at hindering the implementation of reforms, Lilic said. The process of ownership transformation has been considerably intensified. A Law on concessions has been passed. This is the hand that we are extending to Europe and the world, a hand of cooperation. We are counting on joint interests. The world market is cruel, but realistic, as it recognizes only those who are the most efficient and capable, Lilic said. Keeping in mind what has been done in Montenegro, Serbia plans to return in a big way to the world market, where it will not be only an observer but will demonstrate the level it has attained with its know-how, its products and its efficiency, Lilic underlined. We can do it and we shall do it, he stated. Referring to the need for the lifting of the outer wall of sanctions and the pre-conditions for that, Lilic said that Serbia had a clear stance regarding the issues of human rights and war criminals. Regarding human rights, sporadic problems do exist in Serbia in relations among members of different nationalities, but it is also certain that where terrorism and separatism are concerned, the same rules that are applied in the US should also be applied here, Lilic said. Our Constitution guarantees all rights to national minorities, of which there are more than 24 here, Lilic noted. The problem in Kosovo-Metohija is a problem of separatist aspirations of (ethnic Albanian) nationalist extremists. All other problems can be resolved within the framework of Serbia, but only and exclusively within the framework of the Republic of Serbia! I sincerely expect the US to help in resolving any problems that may come up in line with our law and our Constitution, in the only manner appropriate for any state which intends to exercise its sovereignty in its own territory, and that is what we want, Lilic said. Lilic pointed out that members of national minorities had the right to be educated in their own language, to preserve and develop their culture, to elect and to be elected, to participate in the exercise of power, and to regulate local self-rule as they like where they live. Over 80 dailies are published in national minority languages, 51 of which in Albanian, Lilic said and asked whether any other democratic country could say the same. [14] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF REFORMS PROCEEDS WELLTanjug, 1997-08-17Secretary-General of the Yugoslav Government Ljubisa Popovic has said that the implementation of reforms is proceeding well and that, consequently, the government plans increased activity in various fields in August and September. Popovic told Tanjug that this primarily referred to an increase in output and exports, the country's return to the international community, further implementation of economic and political reforms, consolidation of public spending, curbing the grey economy and bringing into accord federal laws with the Constitution. He said conditions set for the country's return to international financial, trade and other organisations and its normalisation of relations with regional and subregional communities were still of political nature, saying the Government therefore planned intensive international activity in the domain. "This international activity will primarily include the removal of obstacles to and the creation of optimum conditions for Yugoslavia's speedy reintegration into the international community, especially into the world's major organisations," he said. He said Yugoslavia would continue stepping up bilateral relations with a large number of countries, saying it would continue its international activity throughout the summer. Subsequently, Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic, Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic and other ministers are to pay a series of visits to foreign countries, he said. Popovic also said that the Peace Process remained Yugoslavia's foreign policy top priority considering the country's crucial role in the implementation of peace agreements. He said the country would continue to help fully implement the Dayton Peace Accords, this being vital for the stabilisation of the situation and peace in the former Yugoslavia. Accordingly, major contacts with parties to the Peace Process are being planned, he said. He said the Government's responsibility in defining and following its internal and foreign policy and in drafting laws and regulations had made it necessary for it to work without interruption throughout the year. Popovic also said that, over the past month or so, the Government had undertaken a series of measures and activities in coordination with Serbia and Montenegro to curb efficiently the grey economy, saying it had already achieved some success in the domain. He said the Government would continue to bring into accord the federal legislation with the Constitution, especially those laws that were to secure a more efficient functioning of the market economy and major technical and technological systems as well as those concerning the freedom, rights and protection of citizens. The Government will draft by the end of the summer a large number of laws to be reviewed by Parliament in its Autumn session, he said adding that the drafts in question referred to the so-called old foreign currency savings, prices, commodity reserves and market inspection, air transport and railway, land and sea transport safety, he said. Furthermore, the Government is to draft laws on the Foreign Minister's duties, health care insurance and a series of laws on bringing into accord the federal legislation with the Constitution as regards the terminology used, he said. He said 29 draft laws had already been submitted to Parliament, including those on money transfers, legal profession, copyrights, international agreements and archives. He said the Government had withdrawn 15 drafts in order to amend them. Popovic said the work on bringing into accord the federal legislation with the Constitution was nearly finished, saying only about one fourth of laws were yet to be dealt with. Once this major activity is over, the new legal system will be created as well as conditions for the full implementation of the Constitution, he said. [15] LILIC: KOSMET ISSUE SHOULD BE RESOLVED ONLY THROUGH DIALOGUETanjug, 1997-08-15Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) Vice-President and Serbian presidential nominee Zoran Lilic said in an interview to the Belgrade weekly NIN on Friday that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija (Kosmet) should be resolved as befitting the most democratic countries and only through dialogue, and any other way chosen by ethnic Albanians would not be good, primarily for them. "No-one can dissuade me that those who want a better state than this one, which guarantees them all their rights, the right to study in their native language, have their own culture, their TV programme, participate in office, participate in elections, vote, be elected, if that is not enough, should be told to seek another state," Lilic said. Kosmet Albanians should participate in elections because "all analyses by parties in office and those in the opposition show that they can have 25-30 deputies, which would probably be one of the strongest groups in Serbian Parliament." "That is the best way for them to settle their problems, if they in fact exits," Lilic said. Commenting on the developments in Montenegro, Lilic said the SPS had not opted for any side in the personal sense. "We have in fact opted, primarily, for a strong Serbia, and I believe a strong Serbia is the guarantee for Yugoslavia's future. However, at the same time, it is necessary for Montenegro to be that as well. Therefore, those who are on the side of true, and not false reforms, on the side of Montenegro's development, the togetherness of Serbia and Montenegro, deserve our support. Time will show if we were right," he said. This country must face certain problems which exist in Serbia and Montenegro, primarily the high degree of criminalization of society, because 'the sooner it faces this the better for its citizens," he said. Speaking about the privatization process in Serbia, Lilic pointed out that there was exceptional interest for placements of foreign capital because of the geo*strategic and geopolitical and overall economic potential. It is logical for foreign capital to be invested primarily in systems from which it can profit quickly, but it is also logical that additional capitalization or joint investments in telecommunications or the electric power industry will secure finds for their own development as well. "Excess capacities, however, must be restructured in some other way, taking care of social aspects. However, there should be no investments at all costs and indefinitely into what is not profitable or not attractive for us, " he said. Lilic said he hoped he would win in the first elections round on September 21, but said there should be respect "for all candidates who believe they have good chances at the Serbian presidential elections." "I am deeply convinced that what we wish to do really presents the interests of Serbia and the Serbian people and all citizens of Serbia," Lilic concluded. Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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