Yugoslav Daily Survey, 97-10-21

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED KAI EIDE

[02] VOJNOVIC CONFERS WITH U.S. AMBASSADOR GALBRAITH

[03] CONTACT GROUP URGES BOSNIAN LEADERS TO SECURE UNBIASED REPORTING

[04] KRAJISNIK: PROBLEM OF RS TV MUST BE RESOLVED SPEEDILY

[05] KRAJISNIK MET WITH BRCKO ARBITRATOR OWEN

[06] XINHUA DELEGATION VISITS SERBIAN JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION

[07] MINISTER MISKOVIC ON SUCCESSFUL REALIZATION OF ECONOMIC POLICY

[08] SERBIAN INFORMATION MINISTER RECEIVED XINHUA DELEGATION

[09] YUGOSLAV REPRESENTATIVES AT WORLD PETROLEUM CONGRESS

[10] MINISTER VUKOVIC ON A VISIT TO CHINA

[11] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN TEL AVIV

[12] MONTENEGRIN ELECTORAL COMMISSION ISSUES STATEMENT

[01] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED KAI EIDE

Tanjug, 1997-10-17

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Friday the Special U.N. Envoy for Bosnia-Herzegovina Kai Eide.

Milosevic and Eide focused on current issues in the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement in the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

They said that efforts of all factors engaged in the peace process should be directed towards the realization in full and lasting protection of peace and stability, which primarily implies the equality of the entities and the creation of conditions for the speedy and balanced economic development. In this way, with the stimulation of economic and other forms of cooperation, it is possible to secure the establishing of mutual trust and prospects for the normal and prosperous life of citizens in this region.

It was emphasized that the U.N. mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina is carrying out important tasks in the civilian part of the peace agreement. In view of the joint interest that the peace process is carried out without any delays, Yugoslavia will continue supporting the realization of the Dayton Agreement with the aim of achieving a lasting peace with the consistent fulfilment of the role of the international factors.

[02] VOJNOVIC CONFERS WITH U.S. AMBASSADOR GALBRAITH

Tanjug, 1997-10-18

The situation in the U.N. protected Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and West Srem (UNTAES) is extremely complex, regardless of some positive changes in the behaviour of Croatian authorities, Chairman of the Region's Joint Council of Municipalities Milos Vojnovic said on Saturday.

Vojnovic said after a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith that the talk was useful. He told the press that he had once again drawn attention to a whole range of problems in the Region, especially those relating to education, the judiciary, and local media.

Vojnovic said Galbraith viewed the situation from the position of his own country, for whom he set out it was of the utmost importance that the UNTAES mission succeed, even if only formally.

Ambassador Galbraith told the news conference that positive changes were evident in the Region, and pointed out Croatian Government's positive efforts, above all those invested through the Program of Reconciliation and in the area of education.

The U.S. Ambassador said the Region would fully open to the rest of Croatia on November 3, and emphasized that the Transitional Police would check the vehicles entering the Region so as to prevent the illegal entry of weapons.

Galbraith said the move should not effect any changes in the regime on the border toward Yugoslavia. The U.S. diplomat was unable to say how Serb refugees and displaced persons would cross the border since their documents carried their former addresses in Western Slavonia, Banija, Lika, Kordun and Northern Dalmatia.

[03] CONTACT GROUP URGES BOSNIAN LEADERS TO SECURE UNBIASED REPORTING

Tanjug, 1997-10-17

Representatives of the Contact Group for Bosnia met on Friday to discuss the role of media ahead of coming parliamentary elections in Bosnia, strongly urging officials of all three Bosnian peoples to secure unbiased reporting and equal participation of all political factors.

The Contact Group, comprised of the United States, Russia, Great Britain, France and Germany, called for the setting up of a new Board of Directors of the Bosnian Serb Radio Television (SRT) and the appointment of a new SRT Director.

A statement released after the meeting said these changes should guarantee new rules of conduct for journalists and other media employees. The statement also said that a clear reply was expected from Republika Srpska authorities.

US Special Envoy to Bosnia Robert Gelbard most explicitly urged that the current SRT Board of Directors be replaced, saying that SRT reporters reneged on their promise and were mostly using their broadcasts to incite ethnic and political conflicts.

International community's High Representative for Bosnia Carlos Westendorp said that European standards and unbiased reporting should be introduced throughout Bosnia as soon as possible.

According to the Contact Group representatives, an obvious headway had been made in Bosnia.

Gelbard said that Bosnia was on the right track of consolidating the democratic and economic systems and implementing the Dayton Peace Accords.

[04] KRAJISNIK: PROBLEM OF RS TV MUST BE RESOLVED SPEEDILY

Tanjug, 1997-10-18

The Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency member from Republika Srpska Momcilo Krajisnik on Saturday wrote to the High Representative of the international community for Bosnia Carlos Westendorp, the member-states of the Contact Group and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Kai Eide, proposing a speedy solution to the problem of RS TV.

Krajisnik pointed to the need for initiating a dialogue between Republika Srpska TV representatives and representatives of the international community in order to reach agreement on a free and fair access of all concerned parties to the media, bearing in mind especially the forthcoming elections in Republika Srpska.

Krajisnik also wrote to Srpska President Biljana Plavsic urging immediate compliance with the provisions of the Belgrade agreement and a continuation of alternate broadcasts from the RS TV studios in Pale and Banja Luka.

[05] KRAJISNIK MET WITH BRCKO ARBITRATOR OWEN

Tanjug, 1997-10-17

Republika Srpska representative in Bosnia's three-man Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik received in Pale on Friday international arbitrator for Brcko Roberts Owen.

Also present was R.S. representative in the Brcko arbitration process Radomir Lukic who told reporters that the meeting had been held ahead of a Conference on the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and arbitration over Brcko, opening in Vienna on Monday.

Lukic said the meeting had touched also on procedural issues within the arbitration process, saying every party involved in the process had the right to request, between December 1997 and February 1998, that a decision taken be changed.

He said Owen expected requests for the change of a decision and that he was preparing for the arbitration.

Owen declined comment on the meeting.

[06] XINHUA DELEGATION VISITS SERBIAN JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION

Tanjug, 1997-10-19

Delegation of the Chinese news agency Xinhua, headed by its Deputy Director and Editor-in-Chief Nan Zhenzhong, met on Sunday representatives of the Serbian Journalists' Association headed by its President Milorad Komrakov.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug, host to the Chinese delegation during its visit to the FR of Yugoslavia.

Nan, who is also Vice-President of the Chinese Journalists' Association, said that Serbian media were reporting objectively on reforms under way in the People's Republic of China and that Chinese journalists were reporting in a truthful and unbiased manner on the developments in the former and present Yugoslavia both today and during the period of anti-Yugoslav sanctions.

Nan especially pointed to the character and the strength of the Serbian people in preserving its independence and overcoming all difficulties.

Komrakov informed the Chinese delegation of the activities of his Association in protecting the rights of journalists and on its tasks as envisaged by the proposed Bill on public information.

Both sides pointed to the need for expanding the cooperation between the two Associations, and Nan invited the Serbian Association to send a delegation to visit China soon.

Representatives of the Serbian Association expressed readiness to sign a Protocol on cooperation and friendship with the Chinese Association during the visit.

The Xinhua delegation ended on Sunday afternoon its four-day visit to Belgrade and left for China.

[07] MINISTER MISKOVIC ON SUCCESSFUL REALIZATION OF ECONOMIC POLICY

Tanjug, 1997-10-19

The basic goals of the economic policy for this year are being realized successfully and they will probably not be changed in the plans for next year, Yugoslav Internal Trade Minister Milorad Miskovic said at a panel organized by Tanjug.

"Prices and the rate of exchange are very stable. The rate of inflation so far is about 3%. In the first two weeks of October, retail prices went up 0.5-1%. All this indicates that Yugoslavia will close the year with an inflation of under 4%. This will place our economy among the very stable ones, especially with respect to countries in transition are concerned," Miskovic said.

Miskovic said he did not see any economic reason for prices to increase any further by the year's end. The Federal Government, moreover, is doing its utmost to re*examine customs tariffs and fiscal burdens on the economy to enable it to get its production and export in full swing, he said.

Miskovic said that, viewed economically, there had been no real reason for the current increase in the black market rate of exchange. That rate is, finally, peripheral to the gyro and official rates, he said.

The changes in that market were caused by the psychological effect regarding the elections in Serbia and the increased money mass, he said.

Both the federal and republican governments will try to return this rate to the pre-October level with economic measures - primarily withdrawals of surplus money mass and making available hard currency for free purchase through commercial banks.

One of the main tasks of the monetary-credit policy for the year 1998 will be to maintain the stable rate of exchange of the dinar at this year's level, he said.

At the initiative of the Chambers of Commerce of Yugoslavia and Serbia, a re*examination of customs tariffs is under way, he said. The idea is to reduce customs on raw materials and semi-products which are lacking or insufficient in the country in order to increase the competitiveness of domestic goods on the home and world markets.

This year's increase of industrial production will not reach the planned 13.9%, but will probably be recorded at 8-9%, he said.

The domestic market is very stable regarding articles and prices. The year has been a good one, so that there can be no surprises in the agriculture- food department, either, said Miskovic.

[08] SERBIAN INFORMATION MINISTER RECEIVED XINHUA DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1997-10-18

Serbian Information Minister Radmila Milentijevic received on Saturday a three-member delegation of the Chinese news agency Xinhua headed by its Deputy Director and Editor-in-Chief Nan Zhenzhong, the Information Ministry announced.

The Chinese journalists are visiting Belgrade at the invitation of the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug.

Milentijevic said she was happy with the interest expressed by her guests in learning about the political, economic and cultural situation in Serbia, and informed them of the Serbian media situation and the degree of democratization achieved in the sector.

She especially focused on the Bill on public information being discussed by the Serbian Parliament. The draft is a result of a wide consensus and guarantees the freedom of the press and right of citizens to protection from misinformation and libel or slander, she said.

The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the FR of Yugoslavia Zhu Ankang and Tanjug Director Zoran Jevdjovic.

Both countries need and wish to develop organized exchange of information, it was underlined during the meeting.

[09] YUGOSLAV REPRESENTATIVES AT WORLD PETROLEUM CONGRESS

Tanjug, 1997-10-17

The 15th World Petroleum Congress, attended by over 5,000 participants from 91 countries, including the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, has closed. The Yugoslav delegation was headed by Serbian Energy and Mining Minister Srboljub Stankovic.

In Peking Stankovic met with Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Li Peng. The Yugoslav delegation was also received by Peking Mayor Jia Dinglin.

The Yugoslav delegation also had an important meeting with the management of the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its Vice-President Zhang Hong.

The Yugoslav delegation and CNPC confirmed mutual interest for developing cooperation. The Chinese side expressed great interest in the initiative that Yugoslav firms are included in the project for the exploitation of oil in Kazakhstan which was recently approved to CNPC.

The Yugoslav delegation also had numerous meetings with the delegations of different countries attending the Congress.

[10] MINISTER VUKOVIC ON A VISIT TO CHINA

Tanjug, 1997-10-19

Yugoslav Minister for Foreign Trade Borislav Vukovic arrived on a working visit to China on Sunday.

During the visit, Vukovic will meet with senior officials of the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, the Ministry of the Chemical Industry, and the Ministry of Machine-building Industries. The Yugoslav Minister will also confer with top officials of the major Chinese corporations SINOCHEM and CNCCC, as well as the leaders of the corporation in charge of the project "Three Gorges." The Minister is accompanied by a group of Yugoslav businessmen and economic experts.

[11] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN TEL AVIV

Tanjug, 1997-10-20

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic arrived on Sunday on a two-day visit to Tel Aviv, where he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Ezer Weizmann.

The talks are expected to focus on the Yugoslav-Israeli relations and topical international issues. Milutinovic will first meet with former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, the founder of the Peace Centre, which will be opened in Tel Aviv on Monday. The opening ceremony will be attended by officials from more than 100 countries.

The Yugoslav Foreign Minister will on Tuesday deliver a speech on peace talks aimed at strengthening common long-term interests, within a Seminar on the challenges of peace ahead of the year 2000, which will be organised at the Centre.

Milutinovic will lay a wreath at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem, and will meet with representatives of Jews from the former Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav Honourary Consul to Israel.

[12] MONTENEGRIN ELECTORAL COMMISSION ISSUES STATEMENT

Tanjug, 1997-10-20

The Montenegrin Electoral Commission said on Monday that Milo Djukanovic had won more votes than Momir Bulatovic at the Sunday run-off presidential elections, according to unofficial results.

After counting the ballots of 93% of the electorate it was established that Djukanovic won 165,330 and Bulatovic 158,624 votes.

A total of 327,188 voters cast their ballots in the second round of presidential elections. More than 3,000 ballots were not valid.

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