Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-10-20

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] NEW YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR TO BELGIUM PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

[02] RS ARMY AND SFOR MAINTAIN GOOD COOPERATION

[03] PETRIC MEETS WITH TSAKIRIDIS

[04] SRPSKA PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MEETS US OFFICIALS

[05] CONFERENCE OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICIALS

[06] YUGOSLAV IRON AND STEEL WORKS EXPORT GOODS WORTH 135.3 MILLION DOLLARS

[07] YUGOSLAVIA IS OF LONG-TERM INTEREST TO FOREIGN INVESTORS

[08] DIRECTORS OF FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLICS' ARCHIVES TO MEET IN BELGRADE

[09] YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA EXCHANGED SAMPLES OF SMALL BORDER PASSES

[10] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVED GUINEAN ENVOY

[01] NEW YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR TO BELGIUM PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

The new Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the Kingdom of Belgium Nikola Cicanovic presented his credentials on Wednesday to King Albert II. After the ceremony, King Albert and Ambassador Cicanovic had a friendly conversation.

[02] RS ARMY AND SFOR MAINTAIN GOOD COOPERATION

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

Commander of the Republika Srpska Army First Corps General Momir Talic said on Wednesday in Doboj that he was satisfied with the progress of the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and added that the Republika Srpska Army and SFOR maintained good cooperation. Following a meeting of the Joint Military Commission attended by commanders of SFOR and Muslim and Croat armies, Talic said that nothing special was agreed at the meeting in Doboj, but that emphasis was laid on the need for clearing mine fields which represent a tremendous danger for the civilian population both in Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation.

The Republika Srpska Army will intensify its mine clearing activities as soon as additional funds are provided for the purpose, Talic said, underlining that this difficult and dangerous job must be adequately paid.

[03] PETRIC MEETS WITH TSAKIRIDIS

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

Republika Srpska (RS) Justice Minister Branko Petric said on Wednesday that the findings of Brcko supervisor Robert Farand about the multiethnic administration and judiciary in this district are contrary to the current constitutional and legal system in RS. During talks in Pale with the head of the European Community's regional observer mission, Ioannis Tsakaridis, Petric said that Farand's instructions according to which the President and the Vice-President of the Regional Court in Brcko should be of different nationalities and that the judges and prosecutors should be appointed by the RS President, completely negate the RS Constitution and laws. These documents do not contain the institution of court vice-president and they state that the judges and prosecutors are appointed by the National Assembly at the proposal of the minister and the assembly's Legal Committee. Petric said that Farand refused to meet with the RS authorities to discuss all this.

[04] SRPSKA PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MEETS US OFFICIALS

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

Republika Srpska Parliament Speaker Dragan Kalinic met on Wednesday in Pale a US delegation to discuss the progress of the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and problems in this regard.

The delegation comprises advisors to the US Congress Foreign Policy Committee Mark Kirk and John Hetzberg, and Andy Becker, member of the team headed by the US envoy Robert Gelbard.

The meeting focused on the modalities of SFOR's future mission in Republika Srpska, the problems hindering the repatriation of refugees, the freedom and equality of the media and the forthcoming elections in Republika Srpska. Kalinic reiterated the determination of the Republika Srpska leadership to ensure the full implementation of the Dayton Agreement. The internal crisis in Republika Srpska must be resolved by democratic means on the basis of mutual respect of all persons involved, and making sure that all concerned will endeavour equally to remove all threats to the vital interests of Republika Srpska and its citizens, Kalinic said.

[05] CONFERENCE OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICIALS

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

A Yugoslav delegation to the Conference of Parliament speakers of southeast European countries, which opened in Athens, Greece, on Wednesday, proposed that an inaugural meeting of a Consultative Assembly of Regional Parliaments be held in Belgrade next June.

Yugoslav Parliament Lower House Speaker Milomir Minic, who heads the delegation and who was the first to address the Conference, said the Yugoslav Parliament had already begun preparations for that meeting and that it expected other regional Parliaments to help it.

The two-day Conference is attended by Parliament speakers from Albania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Romania, Macedonia and Greece. Turkey has not sent its parliamentary delegation to the Conference because it has not formed a new Parliament following the latest elections.

Minic said Yugoslavia paid great attention to parliamentary cooperation in the region, saying the country was determined to help bring about an initiative to institutionalise that cooperation. He welcomed the fact that the initiative had been backed in its entirety. Yugoslavia moved for the setting up of a Consultative Assembly of southeast European Parliaments at a meeting of foreign ministers in Sofia, Bulgaria, last year. The move was backed at a Ministerial Meeting in Salonika, Greece, in June.

Yugoslavia is firmly committed to making full contribution to the promotion of all-round cooperation in the region, on the footing of equality and in the interest of building confidence and strengthening peace and stability in the region, Minic said.

Multilateral cooperation among southeast European countries has been confirmed in the initiative that reflects in the best way possible authentic regional interests and needs, contributing to the strengthening of each country's status in the world, he said. Consequently, it is Yugoslavia's foreign policy priority, he said. Yugoslavia has been most active in the resumption and strengthening of that cooperation. By deciding to take part in the coming Summit at Crete, Greece, Yugoslavia has demonstrated in the best way possible its commitment to the noble goal of cooperation among regional countries and its readiness to contribute to it continually, he said. Yugoslavia takes the view that the essence of regional cooperation lies in encouraging and boosting positive trends in the region and in securing conditions for making that process last, he said adding that the initiative was a manifestation of Yugoslavia's effort to preserve lasting peace and to cherish all-round cooperation. Minic said the region's prospects lay in its joining positive processes in Europe, explaining that all European countries shared the same fate. He said it was the task of all regional countries to preserve peace in the region as well as stability, all-round cooperation, good-neighbourly relations and open borders. To secure this, it is necessary to fully and consistently implement all peace agreements, to fully respect their principles and solve all outstanding issues in a democratic manner and through talks, he said.

Moreover, it is vital to honour the principles of International Law, the U.N. Charter and documents of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and in particular the sovereignty and territorial integrity of every country, the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and mutual respect, he said. He said he was confident that all countries taking part in the Conference had identical attitude to the issue. Minic said the assembly was aimed at promoting regional cooperation by creating conditions for direct participation of national Parliaments in strengthening a multilateral political dialogue and by launching initiatives that would be a political framework and a basis for regional governments' cooperation in numerous areas of mutual interest. Consequently, this will help develop bilateral relations and create a more favourable climate for the resolution of outstanding bilateral issues, he said. The setting up of the assembly and regular meetings of regional foreign ministers and heads of state or government will help create an efficient system of cooperation and of greater responsibility for the fate of all countries in the region, he said. The assembly would discuss measures for and activities in strengthening peace, stability, mutual confidence and good*neighbourly cooperation in the region, and in boosting bilateral and regional cooperation in a large number of fields ranging from economy and finance to power industry and environment protection, respect and promotion of human rights, and diversification of cooperation in the humanitarian, social and cultural sphere as well as in the sphere of judiciary and the fight against organised crime and terrorism, he said. Minic said various forms of cooperation within the assembly, specifically bringing into accord regulations and standards, should boost all processes of development in all countries, promote democracy, human rights and cooperation among non- governmental organisations.

All conditions for the regions' quicker participation in european integration processes will thus be created, he said. The assembly will also make possible exchange of experiences and promotion of cooperation with other regional and international organisations, he said. Taking into account the need for an active and full contribution to the achievement of goals of cooperation and good*neighbourliness in the region, it is vital to do the outmost so as to immediately eliminate the existing anachronism of Yugoslavia being shut out not only from major initiatives in the region but also from the United Nations, the OSCE and world financial institutions, he said.

Minic said Yugoslavia highly appreciated southeast European countries' support for its reintegration into international and regional organisations and bodies, manifested in all meetings to date in the region. He said this Conference, in which Yugoslavia took part on equal footing, would doubtless also help resolve the issue.

[06] YUGOSLAV IRON AND STEEL WORKS EXPORT GOODS WORTH 135.3 MILLION DOLLARS

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

The iron and steel works Sartid in Smederevo, eastern Serbia, and in Niksic, western Montenegro, produced 681,901 tons of crude steel in the January- August period, which is 319,706 tons up on the same period last year, and earned 135.3 million dollars through exports of final products. Of this figure, 101.6 million dollars were earned through exports to west European industrialised countries, according to the Yugoslav Iron and Steel Industry Association.

Sartid produced 596,627 tons of steel in the same period, while the Niksic works produced 316,051 tons, which is 3,655 tons up on the same period last year. The two works and other metallurgical companies in the country produced a total of 740,305 tons of final steel products, which is 344,446 tons up on the same period last year, the Association said. Of this figure, 224,759 tons were delivered to the domestic market, which is 23% up on the same period last year, while 450,106 tons were exported, which is 317,6% up on the same period last year. A total of 102,118 tons of final steel products worth 60 million dollars were imported, which is 43,236 tons down on the same period last year.

[07] YUGOSLAVIA IS OF LONG-TERM INTEREST TO FOREIGN INVESTORS

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

Further structural and other reforms would make Yugoslavia lastingly attractive to foreign investors, most foreign participants in a Pan- European Financial Forum, which is being held in Belgrade, agreed on Wednesday. The recent Ownership Transformation Law was a step in the right direction and Yugoslavia should now continue to work to create a more adequate ambience for its implementation, it was noted at the gathering. It was said that Yugoslavia had huge potential for becoming an export-oriented economy operating at low cost. These were just some of the questions of importance for evaluating the risk of investing foreign capital in any country, it was noted. Results of analyses presented by London Standard Bank Director Jeffrey Clifford showed that Yugoslavia, compared on five points with countries at a similar level of development, is near the top of the list of economies attractive to investors. The five points were: the countries' respective income per capita, inflation rate, foreign debt- domestic product ratio, ability to finance fiscal deficit, and ratio between the balance of payments deficit and the gross domestic product. Speaking about other macro-economic factors affecting investment risk in a country, Clifford said that Yugoslavia had banking stability and security, an independent Central Bank, legal security, a good auditing service, etc.

He concluded that calculations showed that Yugoslavia's debt repayment ability was good, which should particularly interest foreign investors. Should Yugoslavia repay its debts, it could expect higher foreign investment, he said. Ivan Koprivica of the Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce said that Yugoslavia's repayment ability would be much better if its assets blocked in foreign banks were fully at its disposal. There was no direct answer to this, but David McWilliams, BNP representative to the Grouping for Investment in Eastern Europe, said that sanctions and blockade were bad and ridiculous measures to be used against any country. He said that the frozen assets should be released with interest. There was, however, the problem of insufficient saving by the population in the national banks, which reduced these banks' investment potential, it was noted at the forum. Most foreign participants took the view that the greatest prospects for Yugoslavia lay in the financing of trade, i.e. in obtaining commercial credits, and that it should wait a while longer before obtaining any major international loans.

[08] DIRECTORS OF FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLICS' ARCHIVES TO MEET IN BELGRADE

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

The Archive directors of the states that emerged in the territory of the former Yugoslavia will meet in Belgrade on Friday, the Yugoslav Archives said on Wednesday.

The expert-level discussion about disputed issues may help reach the final solution to the issue of archives within the Working Group for Succession.

The Working Group for Succession reached no agreement on archives at its plenary session in Brussels eight months ago. The directors of the Archives of Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, the Bosnian Muslim-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska have confirmed their arrival to the meeting, which will be held at the Yugoslav Archives and chaired by Yugoslav Archives Director Jovan Popovic, the statement said.

[09] YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA EXCHANGED SAMPLES OF SMALL BORDER PASSES

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

Competent Yugoslav and Croatian bodies on Wednesday exchanged samples of passes and other documents for residents of the border zone between Yugoslavia and Croatia under an Agreement on small border transport. The passes would be issued by police precincts in the relevant border zone as of November 1, 1997.

[10] YUGOSLAV DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVED GUINEAN ENVOY

Tanjug, 1997-10-15

Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulajic received on Wednesday the special envoy of the Guinean President, the Minister of Information and Culture Alf Ibrahim Dialla.

The meeting focused on the endeavours of the two countries to pursue and enhance their successful political cooperation, as well as bilateral cooperation in international organizations and in economic, cultural and other fields of mutual interest.

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