Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-09-12

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Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KRAJISNIK, WESTENDORP, KLEIN

[02] BOSNIAN SERB PARLIAMENT URGES PEOPLE TO VOTE

[03] LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA WILL NOT BE POSTPONED

[04] SUPERVISORS ARRIVE

[05] BELGRADE MILITARY HOSPITAL PATHOLOGIST READY TO LEND EVIDENCE TO ZAGREB

[06] BOSNIAN SERBS SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION FOR WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

[07] SERBIAN MINISTER MILENTIJEVIC GIVES NEWS CONFERENCE AT U.N. SEAT

[08] WORLD BOSNIA ENVOY WESTENDORP EXPECTS PROGRESS IN DAYTON PROCESS

[09] YUGOSLAV DEFENSE MINISTER BULATOVIC ARRIVES IN SLOVAKIA

[10] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT DELEGATION LEAVES FOR CAIRO

[11] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT COMMISSION HOLDS SESSION

[12] DELEGATION OF MOSCOW REGION IN YUGOSLAV CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

[13] WORLD ENVOY WESTENDORP SAYS BOSNIAN ELECTIONS MUST BE HELD

[14] RS LEADERSHIP LEAVES BANJALUKA

[15] IPTF SPOKESMAN SAYS BANJA LUKA POLICE TURNED BACK RALLY-BOUND BUSES

[16] YUGOSLAV DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS SLOVAKIA

[17] SERBIAN PREMIER MARJANOVIC - WE FULFILLED THE SET TASKS

[18] OSCE SAYS TECHNICAL PREPARATIONS COMPLETED FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

[19] WASHINGTON DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT BOSNIA - NEW YORK TIMES

[20] DER SPIEGEL: CROATIA BLOCKS THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL

[21] MINISTER KANAZIR RECEIVES CHINESE AMBASSADOR

[22] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES NEWLY APPOINTED YUGOSLAV AMBASSADORS

[23] SERBIAN, GREEK CONSTRUCTION MINISTERS MEET IN SALONIKA

[24] BOGDANOVIC RECEIVES LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMATS

[25] DIPLOMATS IN YUGOSLAVIA VISIT KALENIC MONASTERY

[26] COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAV AND AUSTRIAN BUSINESSMEN

[27] MIHAILOVIC: NEW VERSION OF MEMORANDUM WAS DISCUSSED

[28] PAPER VESTI: CROATS KILLED 2,500 SERBS IN PAKRACKA POLJANA

[29] BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIAL KRAJISNIK MEETS WITH U.N. ENVOY EIDE

[30] KRAJISNIK IS READY TO BE PUT TO TEST

[01] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES KRAJISNIK, WESTENDORP, KLEIN

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Wednesday Bosnia- Herzegovina Presidency Chairman from Republika Srpska Momcilo Krajisnik, the international community's High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina Carlos Westendorp and his deputy Jacques Klein. The talk covered the current political situation in Republika Srpska and steps which need to be taken to resolve the crisis and secure a successful implementation of the Dayton Agreement.

It was set out that divisions and confrontations in Republika Srpska institutions do not stem from different positions on the obligations in the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, and that it was, therefore, not logical to take sides in the internal political conflict, which can be eliminated only through a political solution. That is why a solution to the crisis lies in a comprehensive examination of the political will of voters, which should start with the scheduled Sept. 13-14 local elections and be rounded off with elections for all highest political institutions in Republika Srpska.

It was also set out that, in the light of the vital interest Republika Srpska citizens have in the implementation of the peace agreement, cooperation between Republika Srpska institutions and the international subjects engaged in the implementation of that agreement must in no way be placed in question, which at the same time points up the need for all issues to be resolved through political understanding and agreements, in keeping with the Dayton Accord.

The upcoming OSCE-monitored local elections should reflect concerted efforts of all political factors which have responsibility in the peace process, so that the successful holding of the elections would impart a new impulse to a consistent implementation of the Dayton Agreement, including to the creation of conditions for a political solution to the newly emerged crisis, in the interest of the consolidation of peace and the overall stabilization of the situation in the region.

Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic and Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic also took part in the talk.

[02] BOSNIAN SERB PARLIAMENT URGES PEOPLE TO VOTE

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

The Parliament of the Republika Srpska endorsed on Wednesday the Government's decision to take part in municipal elections on Sept. 13-14 despite irregularities evident in voters' registered. Parliament invited the Bosnian Serb electorate to turn out en masse for the elections and so put the seal of approval on the achievements of the years of struggle for the Republika Srpska. Parliament left it up to the local electoral commissions in municipalities where irregularities are evident to decide, in cooperation with the Republika Srpska's central electoral commission, whether or not to hold elections.

[03] LOCAL ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA WILL NOT BE POSTPONED

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

The international community's deputy high representative for Bosnia- Herzegovina, Gerd Wagner, told on Wednesday's Sarajevo media that the local elections would be held although the presidency of the Croatian Democratic Union (CDU) for Bosnia announced a boycott on Tuesday. The announcement caused a wave of strong reactions of international representatives in Bosnia and of numerous parties in the Muslim-Croat Federation.

Wagner expressed regret over such a decision for which he said was not in the interest of the Croatian people. He said that the OSCE and the international community want the elections to be held with or without CDU.

The representatives of OSCE, which is conducting the elections in Bosnia- Herzegovina, said that "OSCE continues its intensified efforts to secure the full cooperation and participation of all parties at the September local elections."

The representatives of the ruling Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and a part of the opposition believe that such a CDU decision stems primarily from fear of an election defeat, but also from an attempt at a last minute change of the election rules which would be to their benefit.

Also believed is that there is no basis for the CDU presidency view that conditions have not been created for democratic and honest elections, and that many provisions of the Dayton Agreement are being violated at the expense of Croat national interests.

[04] SUPERVISORS ARRIVE

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

Expected to arrive in Podgorica on Wednesday are OSCE representatives who will monitor preparations and the voting itself of displaced persons at local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, scheduled for September 13, 14. In Montenegro there are 10 polling stations and one supervisor is in charge of each of them, and only displaced persons who have been registered earlier will be able to vote. It is estimated that there are 14,000 potential voters in Montenegro.

[05] BELGRADE MILITARY HOSPITAL PATHOLOGIST READY TO LEND EVIDENCE TO ZAGREB

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

Belgrade Military Hospital (VMA) pathologhist Dr. Zoran Stankovic has expressed readiness to lend to Zagreb forensic and other documentation about 24 Serb residents of the town of Gospic killed by Tomislav Mercep's special units on the night of Oct. 16, 1991, so that murderers would not be equitted due to lack of evidence.

The Belgrade daily Politika quoted Wednesday Dr. Stankovic as saying in connection with a recent testimony about the killings of Serbs in Gospic published in the Croatian newspaper Feral Tribune that the bodies of the 24 killed Serbs had been discovered near Perusic, at the Kukin Do hamlet, by members of the Udbine territorial defense.

Dr. Stankovic said that highest Croatian state authorities had known about the killings in the area of Gospic. He set out that Helsinki Watch had written to Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, requesting an investigation and arrest of perpetrators of the crimes, and that Croatia had presented on Oct. 21, 1992 a report on war crimes, which was published as an official United Nations document.

Dr. Stankovic said that evidence had been presented to representatives of a U.N. Commission for war crimes on the territory of the former Yugoslavia at the Belgrade Military Hospital back in 1993. After the Hague War-Crimes Tribunal was set up, Tribunal's Chief Prosecutor Richard Goldstone was called on more than once to open an investigation into the case, and the same was asked of the Tribunal's investigators in the Hague on Nov. 1, 1995, according to the Belgrade Military Hospital expert. Dr. Stankovic set out that Gladstone's successor, Luise Arbour, had been asked during in Belgrade last year to explain the reasons for the Tribunal's silence.

Information about the location of a mass grave in which some of the killed Gospic Serbs are buried was sent to prosecutor Arbour through the Tribunal's Belgrade office in October 1996 and a request made that the exhumation be planned for 1997, Dr. Stankovic pointed out.

He said extensive documentation existed at the VMA and the Yugoslav Committee for data about crimes on the territory of the former Yugoslavia. He specified that the Tribunal's Chief Investigator of crimes against Serbs had also been informed about the crimes committed against Serbs by the Croatian Army and the Tribunal's failure to take action.

Dr. Stankovic said the family of one of the victims had empowered a prestigious French lawyer to represent them before the Hague Tribunal and handed over the complete documentation in English and French, including witness testimonies, autopsy reports with more than 120 photos, and a 105- minute documentary.

"The Hague Tribunal's silence and behaviour in connection with the case are hypocritical and quite unlike the behaviour in other identical cases," Dr. Stankovic told Politika and set out that such a behaviour made possible the destruction of mass graves where Serbs were buried in Croatia.

[06] BOSNIAN SERBS SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION FOR WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

Republika Srpska Justice Minister Branko Petric submitted here on Wednesday to the War Crimes Tribunal's liaison officer Frank Dottn documentation about the persecution of Serbs in the Bosnian civil war. The documentation has been compiled by a team of experts of the Republika Srpska Government, the Justice Ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Petric sent a letter to the Hague-based Tribunal's Prosecutor Louise Arbour saying that her appointment to the office had opened new and clearer scope for cooperation, understanding and respect for facts, the statement added.

The extensive documentation contains 36 volumes of materials and commentaries on crimes of genocide committed against the Serb people.

In his letter to Arbour, Petric stressed it was necessary to make a realistic evaluation and assessment of all events that had led up to the civil war in former Bosnia-Herzegovina and of all events that had taken place during the war.

He further said that, during a recent visit, the Prosecutor had received the Republika Srpska Government's conclusions about cooperation with the Tribunal.

Also, he added, she had received the Justice Ministry's platform explaining the Serb side's positions, as well as the first part of the documentation about the persecution of the Serbs.

He said he hoped that the first part of the documentation had already been examined, which was why the new batch of documents was being submitted.

He invited the Tribunal to send experts to the Republika Srpska to examine the voluminous documentation, believing this to be the right way to go about getting at the truth.

He went on to say that a large number of organisations and individuals, with obvious political axes to grind, had accused the Serbs of aggression in and a partial occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

This false information had subsequently been used as the basis for intelligence reports by various international bodies and as a pretext for setting up the Tribunal, he said.

All indictments brought against Serbs before the Court had taken as their point of departure the allegation of the Serbs' aggression and occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, he added.

The verifiable documentation submitted on this occasion was meant to help the Court arrive at an objective picture and hear the arguments of the other side which the Court had been either unable or unwilling or yet not permitted to hear before, Petric said.

[07] SERBIAN MINISTER MILENTIJEVIC GIVES NEWS CONFERENCE AT U.N. SEAT

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

All the necessary conditions have been created for presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in Serbia on Sept. 21 as scheduled, according to the Serbian Information Minister in New York on Wednesday. Minister Radmila Milentijevic told a news conference at U.N. Headquarters that the elections would certainly be held in a democratic atmosphere.

Milentijevic spoke about the election procedure, the role of the media in the election campaign and the atmosphere in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia in anticipation of the elections. She said that the Serbian Parliament had passed three key legislations regulating the election procedure: on the election of parliament deputies, on constituencies and on the financing of political parties.

Speaking about the role of the media in the election camapaign, she said that 50 political parties had signed an accord on the presentation of their programmes and candidates on state radio and television. In this context, she spoke about a new information legislation that was being prepared in Serbia, which would guarantee the media's openness and access to the source of information, while raising the professional level of journalism.

The election campaign, according to her, is unfolding in a climate of tolerance, where the presidential candidates are concentrating on essential problems and the future development of Serbia.

She said that the OSCE and the parliaments of states that had established full diplomatic relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had been invited to send observers to the Serbian elections. A number of observers had already arrived, and they were cooperating closely with the Serbian Electoral Commission, she said, adding that a good turnout was expected at the elections which would be contested by all the major political parties.

Asked about a boycott of the elections by ethnic Albanians in Serbia's southern Kosovo-Metohija province, she said that ethnic Albanian leaders were very wrong to urge this, adding that a number of ethnic Albanians would nevertheless vote in the polls.

Muslims in Serbia's Sandzak region (which has a hefty Muslim community) and ethnic Hungarians in Serbia's northern Vojvodina province (which is a patchwork of nationalities) would also vote in the elections, she said. She explained that this would give them a chance to take active part in government.

She commented also on the decision of some minor parties, such as the Democratic Party (DS) and the Civic Alliance (GSS), to boycott the elections. She said that the decision had probably been motivated by their awareness that they could not muster the five-percent support necessary to get them into Parliament.

[08] WORLD BOSNIA ENVOY WESTENDORP EXPECTS PROGRESS IN DAYTON PROCESS

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

The international community's High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina Carlos Westendorp said here on Wednesday he was sure that there would be progress in the Dayton process for Bosnia over the coming days. Speaking to reporters after meeting with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Westendorp said he and Milosevic had exchanged views about preparations for local elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the implementation of the Dayton Accord.

He said that the need for holding the elections had been stressed during the meeting with Milosevic.

Westendorp added that some technical problems still remained to be solved, but they would be tackled over the next few days, so that the elections should be trouble-free.

He stressed it was extremely important that the Republika Srpska and the entire population of Bosnia-Herzegovina take part in the elections, scheduled for Sept. 13-14.

He added that his talk with Milosevic had touched also on the need for restructuring the Republika Srpska's police force and setting up common bodies of power in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as on the problem of freedom of the press.

[09] YUGOSLAV DEFENSE MINISTER BULATOVIC ARRIVES IN SLOVAKIA

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

Yugoslav Defense Minister Pavle Bulatovic arrived on a two-day official visit to the Slovak Republic Wednesday, at the invitation of his Slovak counterpart, Jan Sitek.

In the first round of the official talks, Ministers Bulatovic and Sitek agreed that all conditions and the mutual interest existed for the development of military-economic, scientific-technical and overall inter- army cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Bulatovic had a brief cordial meeting with the Yugoslav soccer team which plays against Slovakia in the evening a World Cup qualifying match.

The Yugoslav Defense Minister is to be received on Thursday by Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar.

The Yugoslav delegation will attend an exercise of a Slovak Army brigade on Thursday.

[10] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT DELEGATION LEAVES FOR CAIRO

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

Yugoslav Parliament delegation, headed by Upper House Speaker Srdja Bozovic, left for Cairo on Wednesday to take part in the Interparliamentary Union Conference, September 11-16.

At the Conference, a general debate will be held about the political, economic and social situation in the world. The agenda will also include discussions about "securing lasting democracy by giving a new sense to and by enhancing links between the parliament and the people," and also about the issue of employment in conditions of world globalization.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has been taking part for a number of years as a full-fledged member in the work of this important international oganization, which brings together parliamentarians from across the world.

[11] YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT COMMISSION HOLDS SESSION

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

The Yugoslav Government's Commission for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's relations with the Peace Implemention Council and with world financial and commercial bodies held a session here on Tuesday. The session, chaired by Prime Minister Radoje Kontic, heard a report on steps taken to adjust the organisation and business operation of the Yugoslav Bank for Foreign Economic Cooperation, a Government statement said.

The cabinet also discussed some questions relating to cooperation between Yugoslav Railways and railway companies in the newly-created states in the territory of former Yugoslavia, the statement added.

On the subject of the Bank for Foreign Economic Cooperation, the Commission decided that there were no obstacles of any kind from the point of view of succession to former Yugoslavia and division of its assets to opening the process of transformation of the Bank.

In view of this very important banking institution's significance and business reputation in the world and among international financial organisations, its transformation into a joint-stock bank should be started as soon as possible.

On the subject of cooperation between Yugoslav Railways and railway companies in the lands of former Yugoslavia, the Commission reviewed their exchange of goods cars.

Noting that this was a matter of physical exchange of wagons duly registered with competent international bodies and not an ownership transfer, the Commission recommended that Yugoslav Railways negotiate a solution directly with colleagues in the new states.

The Commission expressed great interest in and willingness to negotiate a speedy settlement of the question of Yugoslav Railways' equity capital with the European Company Financing Railway Rolling Stock (EUROFIMA), the statement said.

[12] DELEGATION OF MOSCOW REGION IN YUGOSLAV CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Tanjug, 1997-09-10

Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce President Mihailo Milojevic met on Wednesday with a delegation of the Moscow region, headed by Economy Minister Boris Balashov, to discuss possibilities for extending economic cooperation.

Milojevic informed the Moscow delegation about the potentials of the Yugoslav economy and this country's openess to the development of cooperation, especially in the sphere of the chemical, pharmaceutical, machine-building and power industries.

Milojevic and Balashov agreed that Yugoslav expert teams visit the Moscow region to exchange experiences, especially on the application of scientific and technical achievements in the economy and production.

At the end of the three-day visit to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Balashov set out that the exhibition "Science and Economy of the Moscow Region", which opened on Monday at the Russian bureau in Belgrade, is a good basis for the promotion of this cooperation.

The exhibition includes more than 50 firms and institutes from the Moscow region which presented their products and proposals for joint ventures with Yugoslav companies.

[13] WORLD ENVOY WESTENDORP SAYS BOSNIAN ELECTIONS MUST BE HELD

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

President of the Republika Srpska Biljana Plavsic met in Banja Luka on Tuesday with the international community's High Representative to Bosnia Carlos Westendorp to discuss municipal elections, called for September 13- 14.

Plavsic spoke to reporters after the closed-door meeting which had lasted for an hour and a half. She said that she had met on Monday with Momcilo Krajisnik, the Republika Srpska's member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina three- man Presidency, in an effort to reach accord so as to ease tension in the Republika Srpska before the parliamentary elections. The meeting had been attended by Patriarch Pavle of the Serbian Christian Orthodox Church, she added. Plavsic said she had suggested to Krajisnik that they start with the media, by having Serbian Radio and Television broadcast one day from the studio in Pale and the next from Banja Luka, but no agreement was reached.

Westendorp, for his part, said that the elections must be held as scheduled, because this was an obligation dictated by the Dayton Accord. He said that the international community could not accept the reasons offered for not holding the elections, because it had so far invested 14 million dollars into the elections and had sent 2,500 monitors to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

[14] RS LEADERSHIP LEAVES BANJALUKA

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

RS President in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Momcilo Krajisnik, RS Parliament Speaker Dragan Kalinic, Premier Gojko Klickovic and replaced Interior Minister Dragan Kijac left Banjaluka in the afternoon (around 15:00).

They were this morning blocked in Hotel Bosna by the police loyal to RS President Biljana Plavsic, who told them that they could all, except Kijac, leave the hotel, but the captives did not agree to that.

A large crowd of Banjaluka residents gathered in front of the hotel chanting "thieves, thieves," "go to Pale,", "go into the woods," "cowards,", "traitors" and so on.

Mediating in the incident were representatives of SFOR who protected with personnel carriers the deparature of Pale officials from Banjaluka. After that, the crowd dispersed quietly.

Mayor of Banjaluka Savo Cuk addressed himself to President Plavsic, first Krajina corps commander general Momir Talic and the public security center to warn them about the tense situation and about the need that measures provided by law be undertaken.

[15] IPTF SPOKESMAN SAYS BANJA LUKA POLICE TURNED BACK RALLY-BOUND BUSES

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

An International Police Task Force (IPTF) Spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that, following arrests of seven armed men from eastern Republika Srpska late on Sunday, the Banja Luka police was authorised to stop all suspect buses and passenger cars on access roads to the town.

Spokesman for the IPTF Sector West Alun Roberts told a regular news conference in Banja Luka that about 70 busloads were due at an election rally of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) in Banja Luka, but the pro-Plavsic police had turned back 55 of them coming from the town of Prnjavor at the village of Klasnjice. This triggered an incident in which three policemen were injured, one of them seriously.

Roberts said that about 300 supporters of Momcilo Krajisnik and about another 200 followers of Biljana Plavsic attended the SDS rally in Banja Luka on Monday. He said that Krajisnik's and Plavsic's supporters had clashed after the rally outside the Bosna Hotel, with the latter throwing stones at Krajisnik's associates.

Roberts said the IPTF mediated in the evacuation of Krajisnik and his associates from the Bosna Hotel.

Also addressing the press was Spokesman for the SFOR Sector South-West British Lt.-Col. Mike Wright. He confirmed that one police officer had been seriously hurt in the clashes between Plavsic's and Krajisnik's followers.

Referring to the banned SDS rally in Banja Luka late on Monday, Wright said that the civilian police loyal to President Plavsic was acting correctly, while the SFOR remained neutral.

[16] YUGOSLAV DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS SLOVAKIA

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

Yugoslav Defense Minister Pavle Bulatovic leaves on Wednesday for a tw-day official visit to Slovakia at the invitation of his counterpart Jan Sitek, said a statement released by the Ministry on Tuesday. The Defense Ministers will discuss boosting bilateral military, economic, scientific and technical army cooperation, and questions pertaining to regional and European security.

The Yugoslav delegation is expected to be received by Slovakian Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar and other high-ranking political figures.

[17] SERBIAN PREMIER MARJANOVIC - WE FULFILLED THE SET TASKS

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

Serbia's Government of national unity has won the full confidence of citizens because it has introduced stability and security into daily affairs and created a material base for reforms, Serbian Premier Mirko Marjanovic said on Monday. Marjanovic set out in a meeting with representatives of the Republic's economic life that his Government had fulfilled the set tasks, despite difficulties and impediments.

"Equitable peace has been achieved on the territory of the former SFRY primarily thanks to the policy pursued by Serbia, i.e. the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Economic Recovery Program has successfully been implemented, the stability of prices and the national currency achieved, a market-economy system rounded off, and the rule of law and principles of democratic rule affirmed," Premier Marjanovic pointed up.

He said his Government had taken office in 1994, at a time "when we faced the most difficult situation in the more recent history of Serbia...'a time of the secessison of the former republics of the SFRY, war which rage in our neighbourhood, hyperinflation, the country's devastating fiscal and monetary system and production which was practically at a standstill."

Marjanovic told the meeting of company directors, Government members, representatives of the trade unions and the Serbian and Yugoslav Chambers of Commerce that his Government had achieved better results than anyone had initially expected in the implementation of the Economic Recovery Program.

The Serbian Premier underscored that negative economic tendencies had been turned into positive ones, and the growth of production and exports stepped up, especially since the lifting of the international sanctions against Yugoslavia.

Marjanovic said a 15-percent growth of the social product had been recorded over a three-year period, which he noted had not been achieved by any transition country and had been recorded by hardly a few countries of the EU.

The per capita social product has risen from 250 dollars when the Marjanovic Government took over to 1,500 dollar, and is expected to go further up, as Marjanovic set out.

The Serbian Premier said his Government had taken a series of measures and invested significant resources to stimulate production and exports and build numerous infrastructure facilities - the reconstruction and building of roads, railways and telecommunications.

He gave as an example the 1.2 billion dinars invested in Belgrade's metallurgy, which he said was now capable of further pursuing reforms without much intervention by the state. Marjanovic set out that his Government had activated the agricultural budget and secured a non- inflationary financing of the agricultural production and purchases, which he said had helped secure a 3.3-percent annual growth of the agricultural production.

The Serbian Premier said exports had been recording a stepped-up growth, especially since the lifting of the international sanctions, and pointed up that they were a fifth higher in 1996 than in 1995, a year near whose end the sanctions were lifted.

Marjanovic singled out the oil barter deal with China and the natural gas barter deal with Russia, and said that even at the time of the "harshest sanctions, our exports had stood at a billion German marks, thanks to the gas arrangement with Russia."

He said his Government had pursued a policy of stiff budgetary discipline, decisively contributing to the stabilization of prices and the national currency.

Marjanovic pointed out that the participation of public spending in the social product and taxes on the economy were steadily being decreased.

He said the situation in terms of pensions, social benefits, education, health and science was gradually improving.

Marjanovic set out that the market was relatively well supplied, after a period of a devastating hyperinflation and shortages.

He said his Government had embarked on a path of reforms fully aware that "stability and stepped-up economic growth are possible only through a further consolidation of the foundations of a modern, mixed market economy, ... the rule of law, and the full protection of property and contracts."

The Serbian Premier told the meeting that in additon to measures aimed at stimulating economic activities and securing full stability, Serbia and Yugoslavia had adopted systemic laws, including those on enterprises, banks and other financial organizations, labour relations, taxation system, concessions, and anti-monopoly.

He said the law on ownership transformation was a "key, reform law, without which no essential and major changes are possible."

The Serbian Premier set out that with the ownership and organizational transformation of the PTT Serbia public enterprise, his Government had show it was seriously counting on onwership transformation and foreign capital and had secured foundations for the financing of development, the stimulating of production and exports, and a more regular financing of public spending.

The process of restructuring of enterprises will not be easy or brief, but it must be pursued with a view to creating foundations for more efficacious economic activity through production, organizational and onwership restructuring, Serbian Premier Marjanovic told the meeting.

[18] OSCE SAYS TECHNICAL PREPARATIONS COMPLETED FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

All technical preparations for the Sept. 13-14 municipal elections have been completed, Spokesman for the OSCE Regional Office in Banjaluka Fabio Gregolet told a news conference on Monday. Asked whether free, fair and democratic elections were possible when the police in Banjaluka had banned all public gatherings, the Spokesman said the ban was contrary to the election rules and regulations but the security of citizens was of the utmost importance at this point.

Spokesman for the International Police Task Force Alun Roberts said that the problem of a Serb Democratic Party (SDS) rally scheduled to be held in Banjaluka on Monday evening had been discussed with Republika Srpska member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik by special U.N. envoy Kai Eide and IPTF commissioner Manfred Zeitner.

The Spokesman said a compromise solution had been offered that the rally be held on the outskirts of the city and not in its centre.

He told reporters that Eide had let it be known that the U.N. mission opposed bans of election-campaign meetings and urged that the proposal for the meetings to be held outside of the city be accepted.

SFOR Spokesman Mike Wright confirmed that the multinational force had approved the request of the Republika Srpska 1st Army Corps for the use of armoured personnel carriers and additional personnel to provide security for Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic.

He said SFOR had not observed any activities of groups or individuals in the vicinity of Banjaluka, and set out that the multinational force would not interfere in the responsibilities of local authorities in connection with the banned SDS rally.

[19] WASHINGTON DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT BOSNIA - NEW YORK TIMES

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

The United States does not have a consistent policy towards Bosnia, nor does the Administration know what it really wants to do about that former Yugoslav republic, according to the New York Times on Monday. The newspaper carries a commentary by Thomas Freedman who is trying to shed light on the U.S. policy in the Balkans, suggesting that the interpretation of the Dayton Peace Accord has been rather flexible since it was signed in late 1995.

The commentator doubts that arresting war crime suspects would solve the present problems in Bosnia.

The newspaper says that, to listen to Clinton Administration officials, one would think that all Bosnian problems would be solved by arresting Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, whereas this is not so.

The commentator stresses that while he fully supports the principle of arresting war crime suspects, there are still dangers inherent in this kind of simplistic interpretation of the complex situation in Bosnia.

He takes the view that important matters may be obscured if attention is focused on only one problem to the exclusion of all else.

He goes on to say that the Bosnian war broke out because the Muslims wanted a centralised state, whereas the Serbs and Croats sought separate national states.

Freedman says clearly that the Dayton Accord has practically given the Serbs and Croats in Bosnia a kind of autonomy and the right to forge close ties with their national mainlands.

The other part of the Accord, he says, includes an annexe with practically the force of a promise, which speaks of building in the future a multi- ethnic democracy in Bosnia through elections, common bodies of power and settlement of the refugee problem.

The paper says that, ever since the Accord was signed, Washington has been unable to decide whether to insist on the carrying out of its promise to the Muslims or just let the multi-national peace force supervise the ceasefire in a divided Bosnia.

The dilemma has been a serious one for U.S. Administration officials, and they will soon have to decide one way or the other, whether Karadzic is arrested or not, the commentator says.

One of the options is for the United States to recognise the legality of the division of Bosnia, which would secure a painless implementation of the plan of pulling U.S. troops out of Bosnia by June 1998, the paper says.

Should this be accepted, then, with certain amendments to the Dayton Accord, the line of separation between the entities - the Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation - would be altered, too, the author says. He opines that the solution arrived at in this manner would be a stable one.

Other alternatives are being put forward, too, which the Administration will supposedly have to consider. One of them is the insistence on a united multi-ethnic Bosnia, which would almost certainly mean that NATO troops would have to stay on in Bosnia indefinitely, in order to support this artificial creation.

The commentator suggests that Washington should bring to the speediest possible conclusion the present phase where accent is being laid only on arresting war crime suspects. Once this is over, then efforts might possibly be concentrated on the heart of the matter, he says.

[20] DER SPIEGEL: CROATIA BLOCKS THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

Croatia is still avoiding cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, the German weekly Der Spiegel said in its Monday issue and concludes that the authorities in Zagreb were trying to block the work of the International War Crimes Tribunal.

The weekly stressed that the regime in Zagreb was protecting some if its people politically, while in other cases it was preventing proceedings by failing to provide evidence required by the Hague Tribunal. Contrary to Dayton Agreement provisions, the Tribunal Prosecutor has not yet obtained documentation about general Tihomir Blaskic, or about Darija Kordic.

Der Spiegel stressed that in the case of Tomislav Mercep the court was still undecided, in expectation of evidence material from Zagreb. Sufficient evidence against Merceo was given in the recent confession of criminal Miro Bajramovic, member of death squads that killed hundreds of Serb civilians, but the authoritites in Zagreb are not ready to issue a permit to Hague Tribunal investigators to interrogate in Zagreb the arrested Bajramovic. The German daily described the behaviour of official Zagreb towards the International War Crimes Tribunal as a blockade. But Der Spiegel does not mention possible measures against Zagreb's behaviour, such as sanctions that could come from Washington.

Nor does it carry the assessment of Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic that Zagreb could turn over all those on the Tribunal's list, on condition that trials do not last for months as is the case with Blaskic. However, that Bosnian Croat General is in the Hague very long precisely because Zagreb is not ready to send to the Court all the documentation in its possession.

However, the German media has recently started to slowly open the files of Croatian crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. Recently even Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, very supportive of the Zagreb regime in the past, devoted a lot of space to Bajramovic's confession and reproduced all the gruesome details about massacres perpetrated by members of the unit "fall rains" over Serb civlians in Croatia.

Germany's support of Croatia, at least in the case of the German media, now ends at the dividing line about the truth about crimes committed in the name of secession, putting an end to years of propaganda in favor of that former Yugoslav republic as the alleged "victim."

[21] MINISTER KANAZIR RECEIVES CHINESE AMBASSADOR

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

Serbian Minister of Science and Technology Dusan Kanazir conferred on Monday with Chinese Ambassador to Yugoslavia Zhu Ankang on the further development of scientific-technical cooperation between Yugoslavia and China, in particular cooperation with Shandong province, a Republican Ministry statement said.

The Serbian government, at the proposal of the Shandong Provincial Government, has decided to set up a joint centre for scientific-technical and economic cooperation in the provincial capital of Jinan.

Assistant Serbian Minister of Science and Technology Ratko Uzunovic has been entrusted with heading the working group of the Republican Government to coordinate founding documents for the centre, as well as a number of proposed scientific-research projects.

[22] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES NEWLY APPOINTED YUGOSLAV AMBASSADORS

Tanjug, 1997-09-09

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Monday the newly appointed Yugoslav Ambassadors Pavle Todorovic to Canada, Dragan Dragojlovic to Australia, Nikola Cicanovic to Belgium, Radomir Bogdanovic to Libya, Cedomir Strbac to India, Mirko Stefanovic to Israel, Milan Grubic to the Netherlands, Danilo Vucetic to Portugal, Dusan Crnogorcevic to Finland, Stanimir Stakic to Kuwait and Vladimir Drljevic to Kenya.

President Milosevic set out that the current period was characterized by decisive efforts for the full international affirmation of the Federal Republc of Yugoslavia and its policy of peace, openness, cooperation and understanding with other countries. Milosevic said he was convinced that the traditionally good bilateral relations and, especially, economic cooperation between Yugoslavia and the countries where the Ambassadors would serve would continue successfully to develop.

President Milosevic said the Yugoslav Ambassadors would make a contribution to such a development by representing the overall social, economic and cultural life of Yugoslavia and its peoples and Yugoslavia's steady efforts to strengthen peace, stability and equality-based relations among states and nations in the world.

The openness of Yugoslavia enables the focus of activities to be on the strengthening of economic relations, President Milosevic pointed out. He wished the Ambassadors success in the performance of their responsible duties.

[23] SERBIAN, GREEK CONSTRUCTION MINISTERS MEET IN SALONIKA

Tanjug, 1997-09-08

Serbian Construction Minister Branislav Ivkovic met in Salonika on Monday with Greek Minister of Town Planning, Housing and Public Works Costas Laliotis to discuss promotion of Yugoslav-Greek cooperation in this field. The consturction Minister of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia is in Salonika to attend an international congress on the linkage of southeast European markets through large-scale infrastructural projects.

A statement issued by the Yugoslav Consulate General in Salonika quoted Minister Laliotis as saying his Government was willing to support Yugoslavia's return to and full participation in all world bodies, and to help promote its relations with the EU.

The Greek Government's decision to grant a loan of one hundred million dollars for building infrastructural projects is geared to this end.

The Minister further said he was confident of success in talks being held in the Serbian Government with Greek companies about the construction of a section of a highway through Yugoslavia as a joint venture. He added that the development of the road network in Yugoslavia was creating conditions for an optimum exploitation of the road arteries in Greece.

The two ministers agreed that an inter-state treaty on scientific and technical cooperation, to be signed by the end of 1997, would be a good basis for further developing bilateral cooperation in the building of infrastructural projects in both countries.

Minister Ivkovic informed his partner in talks about the reform process and its effect on the economic and social development of Serbia, specifically about investment possibilities, concessions and privatisation. He stressed the importance of passing reform laws from the point of view of protecting foreign investors, the statement said.

[24] BOGDANOVIC RECEIVES LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMATS

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

The Yugoslav Assembly's Chamber of Republics Vice-President Radmilo Bogdanovic received on Friday the Ambassadors and Charges d'affaires of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, and Peru, and, on Thursday, the Indian Ambassador, at their request. During the talks, views were exchanged regarding the holding of the upcoming conference of the Interparliamentary Union in Cairo, in whose work a Yugoslav delegation will also take part as full member.

[25] DIPLOMATS IN YUGOSLAVIA VISIT KALENIC MONASTERY

Tanjug, 1997-09-07

Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives accredited in Yugoslavia visited on Sunday the 28th annual celebration held near Kalenic Monastery. The diplomats, representing around 40 countries, toured the Monastery church, which boasts some of the most beautiful frescos of medieval Serbia, and attended a performance by the Kolo folk ensemble.

Welcoming the guests was Zoran Lilic, Vice President of the Socialist Party of Serbia and the candidate of the SPS, Yugoslav Left and New Democracy at the forthcoming Serbian presidential elections.

The guests were enabled to acquaint themselves with the spirit of the Serbian people and the cultural policy that takes care to raise the cultural level throughout the country, said SPS Vice President Zivadin Jovanovic. Jovanovic said the gathering, held from September 5-7, linked cultural history with modern trends and the culture and activities of Serbs abroad.

[26] COOPERATION BETWEEN YUGOSLAV AND AUSTRIAN BUSINESSMEN

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

The just-concluded visit of an Austrian business delegation to FR Yugoslava has given the first concrete results, newspapers here said, citing Austrian Embassy Trade Department Head Franz Erhart and Austrian Chamber of Economy President Leopold Maderthaner. The Vienna newspaper Die Presse quotes Maderthaner's assessment that he was "returning home with good impressions" and that he was optimistic that trade relations between the FRY and Austria will soon reach the former, high level.

A firm from Steiermark, Plan T, has signed with the Serbian electric power industry a contract on the modernization and expansion of the electric power station Kolubara, and a study is currently worked out about investments, which will be presented end-September.

It is assessed that the sum in question is between 20 and 40 million shillings (three-six million Deutsch marks), Die Presse said.

The Austrian media pointed out that representativs of the firm Elin EBG visited for the second time Belgrade to talk with Yugoslav railway officials about the modernization of the railway's rolling stock.

A third firm mentioned in concrete business arrangements, Frequentis, deals with information technique. The firm is interested in cooperation in the field of flight control.

It was agreed that a Yugoslav business delegation visits Vienna on December 2.

Die Presse assessed that Yugoslavia's restrictive monetary policy succeeded to bring under control the economy, stressing that after a number of years of high inflation prices rose in seven months this year only 3.3 percent, and that production and exports were growing.

Trade between the two countries was 330 million dollars before the introduction of sanctions by the international community.

[27] MIHAILOVIC: NEW VERSION OF MEMORANDUM WAS DISCUSSED

Tanjug, 1997-09-06

The head of the Yugoslav delegation at the talks on the succession of the former Yugoslavia, Academician Kosta Mihailovic, told Tanjug on Saturday that the latest version of the memorandum on succession issues, made up by Sir Arthur Watts, is an improvement on the former one, but that in bilateral talks with Sir Arthur in Brussles in Sept. 4 the Yugoslav delegation had clearly pointed out the disagreements which have yet to be overcome.

Mihailovic made the following statement:

"The topic of the talks was the lastest version of the memorandum to which the Yugoslav side submitted a number of amendmants in writing with the corresponding explanations. Although each amendment was discussed separately, both sides tried to examine in full the issues of the biggest importance both for the basic orientation of the memorandum, and for the individual solutions in this document.

Both sides considered necessary to determine whose document the memorandum was and to establish its character. According to the explanation of Sir Arthur Watts, he had composed this document on the basis of the views and positions expressed by all delegations. Regarding the document's character, it is no longer an informal personal text, but has aquired an official character, which is expressed in the latest version titeled:"Draft Memorandum on Succession Issues."

Such an explanation has a far-reaching significance for defining the next stage of the talks, the further method of work, the responsigibily of all delegations and Sir Arthur's role as the 'international community's negotiator'.

Of the key issues, special attention was paid to the key to the distribution. The Yugoslav side insisted that this key cannot be left for the final agreement, but that the principles for its selection should be contained in the memorandum itself. The Yugoslavs insisted that other major issues should be based on principles, such as the inventory and the evaluation of the property, and that quantitative relations stem from the technical appliation of these principles.

Relevant dates, criteria for the identification of property, beside the key to the distribution, were discussed in detail.

These discussions removed some misunderstandings and imprecisions and clearly pinpointed the disagreement which should be overcome. Both sides agreed that the fruitful discussion about these major issues should be continued at another bilateral meeting in early October before a plenary session is scheduled for late October.

The Yugoslav side informed Sir Arthur that it believes that the latest version of the memorandum is an improvement on the former one and that his contrinution to this is appreciated.

Some issues, such as the case of the archives, were considered to be more of a practical, than a principled nature.

The Yugoslav side expressed its disatisfaction over the conduct of the other delegations who are trying to resolve issues which are the subject of discussion of the group for succession in court and in appeals to international organizations, thus demonstrating unloyalty towards the group for succession and a wish to avoid a discussion on essential topics.

In the same sphere are attempts by the other delegations to, through the making of demands for a partial division, put the Yugoslav side in an uncomfortable position by showing it as uncooperative and thus force the international community excert additional pressure on it," Mihailovic said.

[28] PAPER VESTI: CROATS KILLED 2,500 SERBS IN PAKRACKA POLJANA

Tanjug, 1997-09-07

Croatian forces killed 2,500 Serbs in Pakracka Poljana alone, claims Dr. Vojin Dabic from the Information Centre of the Serb Alliance in an interview to be carried by Monday's issue of its paper Vesti. Dabic quoted the results of an investigation conducted in mid-1993 by a Canadian officer from the civilian police in Western Slavonija.

The paper Vesti, published in Frankfurt, Germany, demanded that Dabic provide more details regarding the recent confession of Miro Bajramovic, a Croat, about the mass crimes against Serb civilians.

"Since the summer of 1991, my associates and I have followed the trail of the crimes committed by Tomislav Mercep, starting from the murder of Milenko Djuricic, executed in Vukovar by Nebojsa Hodak, who was recently arrested in Zagreb," Dabic said and added that all the evidence shows that Mercep's group had killed in Croatia in regions where there were no war operations."

"Mercep was the creator of ethnic cleansnig," Dabic said.

He underscored that "now it is clear that Croatia was no victim, but had used (the western media campaign) to carry out ethnic cleansing. All ethnic groups, especially the Serbs who are now an insignificant minority, have been annihilated by Croatia, which is one of the ehtnically cleanest countries in Europe today," Dabic said.

He set out that his team had managed to find an eye-witness who watched the preparations for the stagemanaging of the massacre of people waiting in a breadline in the Vase Miskina Street in Sarajevo, for which the Serbs were blamed.

According to Dabic, the witness saw strechers being brought, TV cameras and crews placed in position, and all carried out by a Muslim terrorist group.

The witness had to be concealed from the public because some members of his family remain in Sarajevo, Dabic said.

The breadline massacre in the Vase Miskina Street, which took place on May 27, 1992, served as an excuse for the imposition of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Bosnian Serbs were immediately blamed for the massacre. The London Independent, however, on August 22, 1992 published a secret U.N. report which showed that the massacre was committed by the Muslim Government in Sarajevo in order to convince the international community, primarily NATO, to wage war on its behalf.

[29] BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIAL KRAJISNIK MEETS WITH U.N. ENVOY EIDE

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Bosnian Serb representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-man presidency Momcilo Krajisnik met in the Republika Srpska centre of Pale on Friday with the U.N. Secretary General's special envoy Kai Eide. After the meeting, Krajisnik said they had discussed a number of subjects, specifically restructuring of the Republika Srpska police force, elections and the crisis in the Bosnian Serb state.

He said the talks had been useful, adding that Eide had been understanding and had promised to help solve the crisis in the Republika Srpska. Krajisnik described the talks as successful, adding he hoped that good cooperation with U.N. representatives would continue.

[30] KRAJISNIK IS READY TO BE PUT TO TEST

Tanjug, 1997-09-05

Republika Srpska member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik said on BK Television late on Thursday that it would be best for the crisis in the Bosnian Serb entity if President Biljana Plavsic was to resign. "I think that the right solution is for the individual which does not want to participate in the collective work to resign. And, it would be the best and most honourable solution if Ms. Plavsic was to resign," Krajisnik set out.

He said since Plavsic did not want to resign and wanted to remain in power, there had been quite a few proposals that not just parliamentary but also presidential elections be held with a view to calming the situation in the republic.

"Ms. Plavsic wants that I, too, as 'Bosnia-Herzegovina' Presidency member be put to test. I agree to it and it is my offer. I am not afraid of being put to test, let this be the case also with Ms. Plavsic," Krajisnik told BK Television.

He said the international community "will not easily agree to having general elections held in Republika Srpska, and will want parliamentary elections to be held so as to weaken Republika Srpska and get in a larger number of Muslims and Croats." The Bosnian Serb official said it was very symptomatic that those who wanted "to drown Republika Srpska in Bosnia- Herzegovina" wholeheartedly advocated support for Biljana Plavsic.

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